Valley bands together for #GreenForGarry

The #GreenForGarry campaign to benefit Garry Wood during his treatment for Stage IIIS Hodgkin's lymphoma is going strong, having raised over $10,000 already according to volunteer Laura Morrow. This Saturday will see a benefit concert at Duke's Bar and Grill in Saratoga to add to the money already raised for Woods living expenses.

The #GreenForGarry campaign was started when the Encampment Lady Tigers volleyball team made and wore green headbands in support of Garry at the state volleyball tournament. The two main proponents (outside of Garry's family) of #GreenForGarry are Morrow and Chris Duke. They have both known Garry for a long time and were heavily impacted by the news of his cancer diagnosis.

Morrow said she was devastated when she heard about Garry, whom she considers part of her "second" family. After hearing the news about Garry, Duke said he took it pretty hard, "I think mostly because of that personal attachment we've had to Garry all of these years."

Duke was part of the band, "Garry Goze 2 Colledge" which was able to raise over $11,000 Garry used to attend the Berklee College of Music. In a sad irony the drummer from that band, Mark Lewis, died from Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Music starts at 6 p.m. at Duke's on Dec. 19 and will continue through seven acts. Performers include Erik Gantt, Mary-Jo Greenwood and Mark Jones, Caitie Taylor, Alysia Kraft, Bobby Chitwood and Somethin' 2DO featuring former members of Garry Goze 2 Colledge performing as Garry Goze 2 On-Colledge-Y for the night.

The donations thus far to the #GreenForGarry fund have come through the sales of green bracelets and a growing group of sponsors who have paid $100 each to have their names on t-shirts in support of Garry. Most of those donations came in the form of $100 sponsorships, but the #GreenForGarry fund will take any amount. Green is the color for support of lymphoma patients and survivors.

A bracelet serves as the ticket for the benefit concert. If you do not have a bracelet yet you can purchase them for $5 at Laura M's and Duke's Bar and Grill in Saratoga or The Beartrap in Riverside. Bracelets will also be available at the door to the show.

Duke's Bar and Grill will donate 20 percent of their revenue for the entire day of Dec. 19 and all tips given to bands will go the #GreenForGarry fund as well. All of the artists are playing for free, so there is no overhead for the concert.

"I had just initially thought, 'Hey, let's hold a benefit at Duke's,' let's have some musicians come out. We'll play a night of music for Garry and see if we can raise some money. My thoughts were maybe we'll raise a couple thousand dollars one night in tips," Duke said of developing the fundraiser. The Valley has already exceeded his expectations.

According to Morrow and Duke, Saturday will be the first in a series of fundraisers to help Garry through at least six months of chemotherapy. Duke is planning another music based benefit with a silent auction in February. He encourages people to start coming up with ideas for items they can donate to the auction and he will start accepting items in mid-January.

Liz Wood, Garry's mother said the level of support she has seen from the Valley, "Makes me cry." Liz added, "I've always known that this community has been here for people when they needed help. We told our son not to worry about the money, we'd figure it out ... Just to see how this community has come together and donated the money to help Garry out has been phenomenal. We're overwhelmed by it." The money is especially crucial as Garry will not be covered by his parent's insurance anymore at the end of December.

Garry also said he has been incredibly moved by the outpouring of support. "I am completely humbled by it. Fortunate is not even the word. I'm extremely blessed for growing up in the community that I did, and knowing that everybody still has my back. It gives me a lot of hope and strength to beat this thing," Garry Wood said.

Music starts at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Duke's Bar and Grill. Supporters with bracelets are welcome to come and go as capacity of the bar allows.