Guest Book

from a fine brother at the Philzone.... Hi All - Please take a moment and read the email below about the Second Annual GratefulFest Benefit Song Raffle, and if it is appropriate, we’d love it if you could share it with a few friends. This year, we’ve got some amazing ‘prizes’ for people who are able to offer a contribution, and win the raffle. Thanks to amazing industry support we are able to present an amazing array of items you are eligible to win. We, the staff and band who make up the Dark Star Orchestra, sincerely and honestly appreciate your help and input into the band’s career. We are more than a band, we are a community –and could not do it without you. Thanks for the support, and I look forward to hearing from you, Dave Weissman Dark Star Orchestra GratefulFest at Nelson Ledges July 2-5 Help Make a Difference: 2nd Annual 'Benefit Song Raffle' For A Cause Nelson Ledges Quarry Park – Garrettsville, OH Dark Star Orchestra has aligned something special again for GratefulFest, and we hope you and the extended DSO family will help it all become a reality. We'll ask your help in taking a few moments to read the information below; and if you feel strongly enough about our creative idea - please forward this email to a few of your friends. Anyone who loves music, especially the music of the Grateful Dead, may find this intriguing. DSO has been playing for GratefulFest at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park since the festival was started back in 2000. Park owners and managers Evan and Kristina have been wonderful hosts to everyone who has visited the beautiful campsite festival grounds and have shared their lives with the many recurring campers who've made the Ledges their home away from home. A part of their lives not as well-known is that their 9 year old daughter Jessica was stricken with the neurological disorder Rett Syndrome a little over a year after she was born. So far, there is no cure, but the International Rett Syndrome Association is working hard to fund research, support, and awareness of this baffling syndrome. To help Jessica and others with this syndrome, DSO has agreed to perform a show whose setlist is made up entirely of audience requests; as well as offer numerous prizes to nearly twenty winners. The DSO performance on Sunday, July 4th at Nelson Ledges will be made up of songs selected from raffle entries. For a $5 donation (greater amounts are always welcome) entrants can list one special thing for which they are GRATEFUL and the GRATEFUL DEAD song they'd like to hear. Multiple entries are accepted and, in fact, stuffing the ballot box is encouraged. Songs will be selected and shuffled into a cohesive setlist before Sunday's show. Raffle proceeds go directly to the International Rett Syndrome Association. The IRSA has disseminated timely, accurate, objective information on Rett Syndrome throughout the world to people who need information and resources and to researchers who can make a difference. Internet submissions are welcome from anywhere, whether you'll be attending or not. Credit cards are accepted through PayPal. Just click over to Dark Star Orchestra.net to find out more, and how to donate securely via PayPal. The act of helping others knows no boundaries and since you do not have to be present to win, everyone has a shot at one of the prizes below... This Benefit Song Raffle is a unique technique to spur Deadheads and music fans in general to directly make a positive impact in a local community, while having a great time listening to some of the best live music being made. We also have received some amazing in-kind donations of prizes to help spur interest in the raffle. To read more about Jessica click here We'd love your support from across the miles, even if you can't make it to GratefulFest. Your contribution to the raffle will benefit International Rett Syndrome Association through Grateful Fest and help change the course of history, by possibly including your song in the July 4 DSO setlist, and by making a difference in one community organization. Some 'prizes' for raffle winners, in addition to having their song(s) selected to be performed include: -One (1) copy of the Jerry Garcia Box Set “All Good Things” (6 full CDs) (thanks to David Gans and the Grateful Dead Hour: www.gdhour.com) -One (1) Grateful Dead DVD Prize Pack: Closing of the Winterland DVD, Tshirt, & CD (thanks to Grateful Dead Merchandise: www.gdstore.com) -One (1) Signed Warren Haynes CD (thanks to David Maxwell) -One (1) Signed Warren Haynes glossy 8x10 (thanks to David Maxwell) -One (1) signed Keller Williams new CD: Stage (thanks to Madison House) -Five (5) Relix Prize Packs (one-year subscription, CD, T-shirt: www.relix.com) -One pair of tickets to the All Good Festival July 9-11, Masontown, WV (http://walther-productions.com/8All_Good.htm ) -Two (2) hand-screened posters from Drowning Creek Studios (www.drowningcreek.com) -One (1) Jerry Garcia Pittsburgh 1995 photo taken by Todd Brunozzi (www.kindphotos.com) -One (1) Dark Star Orchestra signed poster & CD -Four (4) CDs signed by Grateful Dead keyboardist Tom Constanten (thanks to David Maxwell) -One (1) CD from Donna Jean Godchaux’s Heart of Gold Band -One (1) Yonder Mountain String Band signed poster (thanks to Partners in Music) -One (1) Jeff Austin/Chris Castino CD 'Songs from the Tin Shed' (thanks to Partners in Music) -Free camping passes for an entire family at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park -One pair of tickets to the Hookahville Fall Sept 3-5, Kirkersville, OH (www.hookahville.com) -Three (3) copies of “Fall Without Jerry” a novel by Henri Rosenblum, signed by the author (www.fallwithoutjerry.com) -CDs and T-shirts from The Shantee We'd love your feedback, comments, ideas, suggestions, criticism, anything about the idea we've undertaken with the 2nd Annual GratefulFest Benefit Song Raffle. YOU are the reason the music never stops! "More than just ashes, when your dreams come true!" Sincerely, Dave Weissman Dark Star Orchestra 614-487-1403 www.darkstarorchestra.net Full festival lineup for July 2-5 at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park: Dark Star Orchestra Keller Williams Dirty Dozen Brass Band Vassar Clements & John Cowan The Recipe The Shantee David Gans Big Leg Emma Grasshopper Pie Waterband Cheryl Ann Hawk & so much more more info at www.nlqp.com -