Magic In The Night! Guitars For Vets Donations!

Saturday night, August 20th, around 8pm, I am talking with Meaghan Owens from Guitars For Vets at the souvenir/information stand during the Wolfe Park Blood On The Tracks Live concert in St. Louis Park about how to increase the donations from the previous show we did at Town Green in Maple Grove on Wednesday. I asked her what they usually put the donations in? She said the little black case that is on the table that was also doubling up as a CD holder for the evening. She also said they can put the money in that old broken guitar as well that was leaning up against the table. It was donated to the Guitars For Vets by John Reimann. I went over to the guitar and handed it to my 10 year old niece Basha Goldwater who was also helping out with the merchandise table and said let’s go! I told her to try walking up and down the aisles with the guitar and I will follow. It was sort of heavy for her to carry but she did it! The Guitars For Vets presentation had just ended and Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door had just started and she went up one aisle and no one gave anything. I am not sure if the audience saw her or not or didn’t know what we were attempting to do? I told her let’s go back down and start over and try again. The song played on a bit further and then something very magical happened! With one hand on the neck of the guitar and the other hand holding the body of it she marched back up the aisles. Everything came together at this moment! I am not sure if it was the music, the cause, the beautiful weather or the sense of community? Maybe it was all of that and more! Nonstop for the next 7 minutes or so the donations poured in! She was running from one person to the next out of breath trying to keep up with the 3,000 plus crowd that was flagging her down as the dollars were overflowing out of the center hole in the used guitar! I was very proud of her! She was my hero! It was an amazing moment! Around $2,400.00 was raised that evening! I just want to say thank you to everyone involved in the concerts and the people who were attending that night that made this happen! You are all heart and soul! Marc Percansky