In this unforgiving news cycle, most of you have moved on from the devastating images coming out of Haiti after Hurricane Matthew ripped through the impoverished Caribbean nation.
Cycle Brewing and Good Deeds St. Pete have not, and on Friday, October 21, The DIY, do-good club and brewery are staging a benefit concert and silent auction at St. Pete Shuffle. Every drop of the proceeds will go to help Haiti via Food for the Poor.
LISTEN: PAJAMAS REMIXES KRISTOPHER JAMES'S "FIRE & THE FUSE"
Good Deeds, which now boasts over 200 contributing members started in a living room at the beginning of July as our own country was still reacting to the recent shootings in Orlando. They've has staged several initiatives like school supply drives, but this show — featuring music from Pajamas, Kerry Courtney and Kristopher James — may be their most ambitious to date.
Green Bench, Engine Rose, Whole Aveda and Mandarin Hide are among the dozens of businesses who've contributed items to the silent auction, which will also include artwork from St. Pete's own Chad Mize. Brittany Speary, who helped ignite the fire for the event, told CL that her heart sank after reading the devastating number of Haitian lives lost in the disaster.
"Going to Haiti was not an option for me at this time," Speary, 26, said of the decision to try and raise money for the cause. She reached out to Cycle manager Tara Frenck who jumped in, and St. Pete Shuffle quickly followed suit.
"When St. Pete Shuffle agreed to let us hold the event at their open shuffle, I was elated. I know that is a big night for them to give us," Speary added. "The sense of community in this beautiful city is nothing short of incredible."
The benefit starts at 7 p.m. Canned goods are encouraged (pop-tops, please). More information is available at local.cltampa.com and an up-to-the-minute discussion about the auction items is happening on Facebook. Listen to Pajamas' remix of Kristopher James here.
