GIOVANINA VANCHERI
Special to The Leader
It was music that helped warm downtown Fredonia on the chilly first day of fall.
Fredonia students, community members and musicians came together to listen to music, play games and enjoy barbecue at Rockin’ the Commons last Saturday.
The annual event, hosted by Fredonia Radio Systems, raises money for the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y.
This year, in an effort to raise attendance, the event was held about a month earlier than in the past.
“When it gets to be later in the season, not as many people want to be out walking around,” said Tommy Linares, a Fredonia senior and co-founder of Fredonia’s Habitat for Humanity club.
Although it was chillier outside than expected, the event still had a great turnout.
Habitat for Humanity partners with Fredonia Radio Systems to host fundraising events.
They held a bake sale at the event to raise money for both the Roswell Institute and the Habitat for Humanity organization.
The clubs have been collaborating as long as Linares has been a student here.
“It’s pretty special,” he said.
At a school with such a high enrollment number of music majors like Fredonia, an event where students can jam out and enjoy some tunes with their friends is a perfect Saturday activity.
It’s also a great opportunity for students to support their friends who may be performing.
Senior Ethan Fields came out to see his friends performing for the first time at the event.
“Fredonia has a great music scene, both in the school of music and out,” said Fields. “Seeing it all come together like this is really great.”
Although many people come for the music, the charity aspect hits close to home to Fredonia town resident Joe Kwiatkowski and his wife.
“We’ve come every year for the last several years. My wife and I have lost relatives due to cancer so we wanted to support [the event] and support the students and come and hear some music,” he said.
Getting to play at Rockin’ the Commons for the first time was truly a memorable experience for seniors Zack Sovocool and Miles Pierce of Vintage Pretty.
Having the opportunity to move forward as a band and play a set at the event has “been a goal of [theirs] for quite a while.”
They are determined to make the most out of their final year as Fredonia students, or as they call it, “hashtag Fred Last.”
This was definitely a great way to kick it off.
Senior Sydney Mulkey has been attending Rockin’ the Commons for the past three years.
This year was her first time attending as a member of the Fredonia Radio Systems e-board.
“It makes you a little more excited for the event because you get to see it come to life, it’s like your baby,” said Mulkey.
Fredonia Radio Systems sold merchandise and hosted a basket raffle to raise money.
Another big hit of theirs was the “mystery CD bags,” brown bags with just a few clue words that hint at what kind of music is inside.
Mulkey is in “awe” of the student-coordinated event and incredibly proud to be part of it.
“I just think this is something everyone should come to every year if they have the chance,” she said.