Musicians gather at inn to ‘Rock for Autism’

 

Brian Stoner, left, and Nick Starver, right, from the band Ledbetter Heights, perform a selection during the Rock for Autism to benefit the NHS Autism School in Carlisle held Saturday evening at the Holly Inn in Mt. Holly Springs. (Matthew O'Haren/Special to The Sentinel)

 

Jimbo Sage, of Carlisle, plays a cajun blues selection during the Rock for Autism to benefit the NHS Autism School in Carlisle held Saturday evening at the Holly Inn in Mt. Holly Springs. (Matthew O'Haren/Special to The Sentinel) 

 

Paul Smith, left, and his girlfriend Christina Roman, right, both of Mechanicsburg, enjoy the music during the Rock for Autism to benefit the NHS Autism School in Carlisle held Saturday evening at the Holly Inn in Mt. Holly Springs. (Matthew O'Haren/Special to The Sentinel) 

 

Tabitha McCartney, left, of Newville, chats with Brandi Smith, right, of Carlisle, while listening to selection of music during the Rock for Autism to benefit the NHS Autism School in Carlisle held Saturday evening at the Holly Inn in Mt. Holly Springs. (Matthew O'Haren/Special to The Sentinel) 

For Jimbo Sage, playing in Saturday’s “Rock for Autism” was an easy choice — largely because of his friends, some of whom have autistic children.

“My friends are here and we always support each other,” he said. “It’s a great cause.”

But the event also hit closer to home, as Sage recalled a third cousin who, though undiagnosed as a child, likely suffered from autism.

She knew the names of all the baseball players around at the time, Sage said, but looking back he remembers aspects of her behavior that were characteristic of the disorder.

Other performers and audience members at the event had different links to autism, but they all came together at the Holly Inn in Mt. Holly Springs for an all-night benefit for the NHS Autism School in Carlisle.

“This came up because a number of our staff have family members who are rock musicians,” said Delilah Wilcox, clinical director at the school.

Through donations at the door and 50/50 raffle tickets, the group raised an estimated $1,800 to $2,000 Saturday toward a van to take students to community interaction, work and volunteer experiences.

The opportunities are great for the students because it gives them a chance to put the life skills they’ve learned to practical use, like shopping for groceries, she said.

The new van will join an older one already at the center, Wilcox said, and the second will be more of a supplement than a replacement.

“We’re going to keep that one going because it’s running and the kids are better with things they can predict,” she said.

This year, the school’s third, saw the graduation of three students, including one from Tiffany Brunner’s class.

Although her student didn’t know exactly what she would do after graduation, she and the other students got plenty of life-skill lessons and work opportunities through the school.

“We’re always trying to raise money for our school,” Brunner said. “It’s for a good cause.”

Carol Wilcox of Gardners also said she came out to support the school’s work, and that she would have come even if her daughter, Delilah Wilcox, hadn’t been involved.

Of course, knowing and liking the bands didn’t hurt either.

“They’re all pretty good,” Carol Wilcox said. “I’ve (only) seen some of them before.”

The high turnout at the event was no surprise to inn co-owner Marie Hollinger, whose establishment has hosted several awareness-oriented events in the past.

“They’ve been very diligent about promotion and ticket sales,” she said.

Providing a venue for these kinds of fundraisers, free of charge in this case, is the least the inn can do, Hollinger said.

“It’s been a very nice way to take part in a community event,” she said.

Gatherings like Saturday’s tend to go well, Hollinger said, and visitors can expect to see more of them in the future.