OLIVIA FULLERTON
Special to The Leader
ISABELLA INZINNA
Staff Writer
Looking for a way to rock out for a good cause?
The 20th annual Rockin’ The Commons will take place on Saturday, Sept. 23, fundraising for Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. The event will happen all day, from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Students and community members gather each year for live music, food, raffles and games in Barker Commons, located right at the center of downtown Fredonia.
Roswell Park was founded in 1898 and is the nation’s first cancer center. Roswell Park is in Buffalo, and is known for being one of the top cancer centers to receive treatment from, working with thousands of patients each year.
The center also has many opportunities for upcoming doctors or nurses. They offer shadow days, internships and graduate degree programs, as well as other opportunities.
In previous years, the event has been dedicated to specific people to help with their treatment needs as well as research for specific forms of the disease.
One of the biggest ways money is raised at Rockin’ the Commons is through a giant raffle.
Hunter Halterman is the general manager of FRS. In previous years, he said there have been over 50 items donated from different businesses to raffle off at the end of the night.
Halterman said, “Last year, we got 56 items to raffle off from different businesses.” The FRS team is currently working on multiple activities and raffle prizes.
Many of the raffle prizes this year are donations from businesses in Fredonia, Jamestown, Buffalo and even Erie, PA.
Some of the bigger prizes this year include eight passes to the Erie Zoo, three one-hour passes to Vertical Jump Park and a signed Dhane Smith game program from the Buffalo Bandits.
The FRS volunteers will also be grilling hot dogs and hamburgers, as well as selling other snacks and drinks.
Halterman has been overseeing the music and activities team, helping bring great music and fun activities to the fundraiser.
This year, a few campus clubs such as Fred Grows, American Cancer Society and Psychology Club will be holding an activities table
Perhaps the biggest draw to both passersby and students is the music.
Several campus and local bands will be performing at the fundraiser.
The event will hold different genres of music; some of the local bands playing are Beach Tower, Early Worm and Jake King. A campus jazz group, Silver Septet, and The Guerillas will also be performing.
“We have an amazing crop of campus and alumni bands that are a really good representation of
the music scene in Fredonia,” said Jordan Budd, a senior music industry and journalism major. Budd has helped create the lineup of bands performing at the fundraiser.
FRS hopes to raise a lot of money for Roswell Park this year.
In previous years, the fundraiser raised $4,000 in proceeds, with over $1,000 each year.
Dan Granados, business manager of FRS and a junior audio production and video production major, said, “Last year, we raised $1,180 and I have no doubt in my mind that we’ll get even more donations this year.”
Halterman has experience fundraising as well. Last year, at a separate FRS event, he raised over $1,500 that is going towards this year’s Rockin’ the Commons.
Rockin’ the Commons is a great way to socialize with good music, food and fun activities all while doing it for a good cause.
The event is Sept. 23, from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. in Barker Commons. The event is open to the public and admission is free.
For more information, FRS can be reached at frs@fredonia.edu.