Press Release: First Annual L.I.V.E. Rock for Life Concert to Benefit Teen Suicide Awareness
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Jody Joseph, a New Jersey music instructor, is organizing the first annual L.I.V.E. Rock For Life charity concert to benefit the Yellow Ribbon Teenage Suicide Prevention Program. The concert will feature performances by Joseph, local musicians, and Joseph's students, ranging in age from 5 to 43. Proceeds will support the New Jersey chapter of Yellow Ribbon International, which aims to raise awareness of suicide prevention and provide youth with resources to seek help. The concert is in memory of one of Joseph's students who took her own life, and is intended to honor her memory through preventing future teen suicides.
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Press Release: First Annual L.I.V.E. Rock for Life Concert to Benefit Teen Suicide Awareness
- 1. Press Contact: PHANTOM POWER PRODUCTIONS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jennifer L. Pricci 732.291.4JEN jen@phantompowerproductions.com www.phantompowerproductions.com News and Entertainment, New Jersey: The L.I.V.E. ROCK FOR LIFE CONCERT: The First Annual Charity Concert Benefiting The Yellow Ribbon Teenage Suicide Prevention Program® In NJ Asbury Park, NJ (PHANTOM POWER PRODUCTIONS) December 15, 2004 – Jody Joseph, a popular New Jersey music instructor and frontperson for the well known Shore act Jody Joseph & The Average Joes has teamed up with the local Chapter of Yellow Ribbon International® to announce the L.I.V.E. Rock For Life Concert to benefit directly the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program® (www.yellowribbon.org). The event will take place on Saturday, January 29, 2005 at the Stone Pony, 913 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park, New Jersey, 732.502.0600 at 6:00 PM. Tickets are $15 and are now available at www.ticketmaster.com and the Stone Pony box office. Tickets for this event are expected to sell out. The number one priority of L.I.V.E. is to increase awareness about teenage suicide, which has become an epidemic in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Eight Monmouth County teens have completed suicide in the past 16 months compared to 1 in the 4 years preceding that. The L.I.V.E. Rock For Life Concert is the vision of Jody Joseph who felt compelled to spread the word about teenage suicide prevention after the loss of one of her students, Stephanie Fritz at the age of 15. Shortly after her passing, Jody approached Stephanie's father, Scott Fritz with the concept of a benefit concert. Fritz, who is the head of the recently formed New Jersey Chapter of Yellow Ribbon International®, was receptive to her idea and the L.I.V.E. concept was born (an acronym created by Joseph's teenage daughter; Live Inspire Vibe Energy). "I guess I never wanted to lose someone else again that way," says Joseph. "I felt so helpless. But not anymore, Steph wouldn't want me to. So I took all the pain and put it to use, the energy is amazing, and somehow I believe that her tragedy will not be in vain, somewhere along the way of this crazy journey it will become a saving grace.“ L.I.V.E. (pronunciation: 'liv) will feature performances by Jody Joseph & The Average Joes, and many of Joseph's music students ranging in age from 5 to 43. Joining the effort is blues/rock guitarist and fellow music instructor Matt O'Ree with the Matt O’Ree Band and students. Local singer/songwriter Dawne Allynne will be opening the show. Invitations to perform have also been extended to some of Monmouth County’s most famous musicians. Proceeds from ticket sales, merchandise and an open auction featuring valuable music memorabilia such as a Jon Bon Jovi autographed guitar, a Kenny Olson autographed guitar, concert tickets, donations from local retailers and gift certificates to some of the county’s most popular restaurants, clubs and spas will be donated to the New Jersey chapter of Yellow Ribbon International®. The Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program® is not funded by federal dollars or large corporations, donations come from supporters in communities and go directly to program efforts. To date the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program® has saved an estimated 2500 lives worldwide. "We are grateful and appreciative that people want to get involved with the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program® to inform teenagers that it’s ok to seek help. Stephanie’s memory lives on if we can help prevent even one more teen suicide," says Scott Fritz. "We hope that with the success of L.I.V.E. we can turn this into an annual event and hopefully take it nationally.“ Yellow Ribbon International®, an outreach program of The Light For Life Foundation International®, was founded by the parents of Mike Emme, a popular teen who took his life in 1994. The goal of the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program® is twofold: Get Yellow Ribbon cards to teens and inform the public what these cards are. The Yellow Ribbon Card’s primary purpose is to serve as a lifeline or a link. All a troubled teen need do is hand it to someone they trust and that person is to interpret it as a cry for help. The card contains important instructions so that recipient adults and peers can respond appropriately and immediately: Stay with the person, you are their lifeline! Listen, really listen. Take them seriously! Get, or call help immediately! The Yellow Ribbon Model is not intended to replace local professionals rather, it works as an adjunct entity to help identify existing community resources and train a network of additional individuals to support and supplement the work of the professionals. The desired outcomes for the program are: Increased Protective Factors and Help Seeking Behaviors, Decreased Risk Factors and Suicidal Ideation and a change in societal norms to show that (1) It's OK to Ask for Help!® and that (2) It's OK to BeALink!® LFLF Int'l / YRSPP is a IRS registered notforprofit 501 (C)(3) organization #841304474. DONATIONS IN US FUNDS CAN BE MAILED TO: Yellow Ribbon International, P.O. Box 644, Westminster, CO 800360644 Office: 303.429.3530 Fax: 303.426.4496 Checks Should Be Made Payable To YELLOW RIBBON INTERNATIONAL. Please Mark Your Donation "NEW JERSEY" to reach this chapter. FOR MORE INFORMATION: L.I.V.E. Rock For Life Concert: www.iemarketing.com/LIVE Yellow Ribbon International®: www.yellowribbon.org Jody Joseph And The Average Joes: www.jodyjoseph.net Matt O’Ree: www.mattoree.com Dawne Allynne: www.dawneallynne.com ###