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    marye
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    Now approaching the quarter-century mark, the Rex Foundation is the nonprofit the Dead founded in the '80s. Several Rex folks are here already, so I turn the discussion over to them!

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  • marye
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    Video: Rex Foundation Conversations
    So with my Rexfoundation.org editor hat on, I sat down last week with Sandy Sohcot for a little video interview. You will immediately see that I am not in the habit of doing video interviews, but Sandy has lots of good stuff to say. In essence, she's recapping the last eight years: why Rex was revived after the dissolution of the band, what we've been up to, who supports us and what everyone's up to. Link is here: http://rexfoundation.org/2009/10/12/rex-foundation-conversations-renewal-community-community-caravan/.
  • marye
    Joined:
    Bobba
    send me an email re the DSO idea; we're actually working on something that might be a good fit, but since I'm part of a committee drafting the relevant document I can attest it's not quite ready yet. But we do love those creative collaborations... There are a couple of the black churches here that have really good programs for guys getting out of prison, Allen Temple and Acts Full Gospel. I forget which one of them has the Men of Valor program, but I have the fondest memories of sitting next to some Men of Valor guys at a city council meeting where I was there for the dogs and they were there for the program. By the end of the evening of political shenanigans and ridiculous statements from assorted parties, we had bonded thoroughly. As far as I know Rex isn't involved with those programs, but they are a very good thing and I'll pass this to Sandy.
  • BobbaLee
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    Rex donations
    Marye:I watched "Black in America" last night and they featured a program in West Oakland for men coming out of prison-just curious if Rex works with them. Also the next time DSO plays in South Florida I would be happy to help Rex out maybe with some promos etc. And the road goes on forever.... BobbaLee
  • marye
    Joined:
    Rex Jams/Musical Caravan this summer
    Dear Friends, We are pleased to once again have Rex Jams at the upcoming All Good, 10,000 Lakes and Gathering of the Vibes summer festivals, where the funds raised during the jams support local area high school music programs. The Detroit Lakes High School Marching Band was reactivated because of the 10,000 Lakes Festival and Rex Jam support of the last two years! Click here to learn more about each festival and the Rex Jams. We look forward to seeing you! On August 1st, supporters of the Rex Foundation are presenting A Very Jerry Evening in Indianapolis, Indiana as a Rex Musical Caravan event in honor of Jerry Garcia. Check out these details and tell your friends in the Indiananopolis area to enjoy a great night of music. Speaking of friends, Dark Star Orchestra is once again setting out on a month-long DSO Rex Caravan Tour of the West, from September 23 to October 17th. As you'll see on our website write-up, we're planning a Black Tie-Dye Ball on Friday, September 25th at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland to celebrate the Tour. Check out the video recently done at the Rex office, featuring me and Rex Board members Carolyn Garcia and Nick Morgan, where we describe the positive impact of the Rex Jams and Musical Caravan events. Our main message is that your support, whether as direct contributors, musicians putting on Caravan events, or fans at festivals and other Caravan events, adds up quickly to make it possible for Rex to provide the seed grants to non-profits doing such important work. We crossed the $1 million in grants since beginning our renewal because of you! Looking forward to seeing you this summer, with thanks, Sandy Sohcot Executive Director
  • marye
    Joined:
    New Rex Website
    in other news, and with my Rex hat on, I heartily encourage folks here to check out the new Rex Web site here. Many folks have been working on this for some time trying to make it easier to find info, read current stuff, etc., so come on down and tell us what you think. And, if I do say so myself since I did the interview, Peter Rowan has some great tales, e.g.: "My brothers were in Stinson Beach, working with David (Grisman) and Garcia, and that’s when we started playing more together. Up on the side of Mt. Tamalpais, with the eucalyptus smell in the air and the fog rolling in over the far hills--just the feeling was totally different from any other place I’d ever been. I ended up staying out here all through the 1970s. "Out of all that foggy Stinson Beach coastline came the day that David and I wandered up to Jerry’s house. We started playing with Jerry and we’d go up there every evening, and we started to play a few dates around the local area. John Hartford played fiddle with us, we did a show with the Chieftains… but we were kind of a rascally band. For Jerry it was just pure fun, and everyone in the group had a different idea of what to do and where to go with it..."
  • marye
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    sorry, just getting to this
    I don't know about the inner workings here, but I'll pass this to the Rex folks. Totally agree, of course.
  • c_c
    Joined:
    what?
    so what was the exact story of the dead Rex charity tix thing? did the band donated those tix, and then all of the cash received at auction went to charity? or only the over the top of the face value went to the Rex? I'm just curious now... because... my buddy who miracled us with 4 of those charity tix, got one PAIR for 255$, (5$ he said was some service fee) 3rd row center at Wilkes-barre, and 305$ for 3rd row, in front of Branford at Byrne. for the Wilkees Barre, that was just a bit more than would have had to be paid to ticketbastard or live nation with all of their 'convenience / service' crap fees and shit. I was gobsmacked to hear that he only paid so little for such good seats, and that included one signed poster for each ticket, he sent me one of them, too!! pretty freakin' cool!! though the cue gets into the pawn shop from time to time, that poster never will. man, the charity auction should have been done FIRST instead of that flop of a pre-sale and the consideritduung VIP thing. all of the folks who paid hundreds and hundreds of $$ for a lame loose lucy lounge or to a scalper could have been helping out instead. justmy thought, hindsight is 20/20 I reckon'. peace.
  • marye
    Joined:
    More info on Dead tour charity auction
    is on the Rex site: http://www.rexfoundation.org/deadtour_09.html.
  • marye
    Joined:
    Tweets from Rex
    The Rex Foundation is now on Twitter! Come check it out here: http://twitter.com/rexfoundation.
  • marye
    Joined:
    oh, the pix are on Facebook
    but you don't need to be on Facebook to see them.
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17 years 6 months
Now approaching the quarter-century mark, the Rex Foundation is the nonprofit the Dead founded in the '80s. Several Rex folks are here already, so I turn the discussion over to them!
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17 years 6 months
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too far for me, but I hope we get a good report and lots of fine pix!
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dgans Rex Foundation at GOTV I will be assisting a young musician named Henry Sidle with a presentation he's doing on behalf of the Rex Foundation, Friday at 3:45pm on the Green Vibes Stage. Henry will also play his new song Sunday afternoon on SiriusXM's "Tales form the Golden Road," which we will be broadcasting live 4-6pm from the Rhino/GDP booth in the main merch tent at GOTV .
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speaking as one who works on the Rex site, I would heartily encourage you to check out rexfoundation.org for your own self. Here are the most recent grantees.. Also, check out this video from the December 1 Fillmore benefit...
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I do hearby challenge all the good folks around the world who tune into dead.net to donate $18,ooo dollars to The Rex Foundation in memory of Jerry by years end. I will start us off with a $100 donation. Tell us what you can donate here or if you wish to remain anonymous make sure to include a note when you make your donation saying "dead.net challenge, anonymous donor " and hopefully those dollar amounts can be posted too. We can do this! Yes we can! Yes we can! Magical miracles to all. Going home, going home, by the waterside I will rest my bones And listen to the river sing sweet songs to rock my soul
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A word from Cameron: Dear friends: I'm very pleased to let you know that Robert Hunter has just added an August 2 show at City Winery NYC, to his upcoming Beyond the Blue Horizon tour—and given Rex supporters a chance to purchase reserved seats, as well as VIP meet-and-greet packages, in an exclusive presale through June 17, 2014. City Winery NYC, located at 155 Varick Street, is also hosting Hunter for three nights in July. To purchase tickets to the show, http://www.citywinery.com/newyork/roberthunter080214.html use this link and the promo code RIPPLE. Many thanks to Robert Hunter and City Winery NYC for making Rex part of this memorable event! Onward, Cameron Sears Executive Director
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Last December, Keller Williams, Michael Kang, Jeff Austin and Keith Moseley, aka Grateful Grass, reunited to do an awesome show for Rex at the Fillmore. Now it's an album, also for Rex. More at livedownloads...
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From the Rex at the ball game festivities this week:
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A Note from Rex Foundation Executive Director Cameron Sears Dear Friends of Rex: I am sure many of us have spent some time over the past few days considering the uncertainty that has developed as a result of the recent election. I am reminded of the time I was confronting similar feelings while dealing with the passing of Jerry and the tumult that it brought. One of the more reassuring methods of dealing with those feelings was the role that music and community played in our collective recovery. In the latter part of 1995, the uncertainty that we all contemplated, the band included, had us thinking about the future of the band's ability and desire to perform, as well as wondering if our community bond would stay intact. These topics and many more were on everyone's mind. For the Board of Directors of the Rex Foundation, the question became how we could sustain Rex absent the funding that had been so generously provided by the band's great performances. In 2001, it had been six years since Rex had put together a benefit. At a board meeting we all came together and determined that if we were to maintain our mission, we needed to gather and revel in community and music. As a result of that meeting we decided to produce an event we called "The Healing Power of Music." It was an amazing night and it put us back on the path of restoring Rex as one of the crown jewels of the Grateful Dead experience. Ever since we produced The Healing Power of Music, Rex has continued to host events of all sorts—concerts, ski races, Grateful Dead Tribute nights with Major League Baseball and The National Hockey League, as well as local shows, fairs, and benefits raising funds for Rex at the grassroots level. We have been included in estate plans, and on a daily basis individuals consider us part of their charitable giving. Most of these sources had never even been contemplated prior to 1995, and all have provided Rex with a sustaining force. All of you have provided us with the ability to serve a broader community in need of funding. Gaining your support has been been extremely gratifying, and an essential ingredient of the Rex renaissance. It is amazing what happens with the passage of time. In spite of our worst fears we all persevered. And yes, changes did occur, yet the music we loved lived on and has continued to nourish us in ways that we could not have imagined in 1995. I for one find comfort in finding the possible in impossible. On December 3 our community will once again gather at the Fillmore in San Francisco. The event this year, called Ramble on Rose, is one that is essential to maintaining our ability to raise funds, which, in turn, allows us to make grants to well deserving non-profits. We are very fortunate to have the Midnight Ramble Band performing at this year's event. Levon Helm hand-picked these musicians as his house band in Woodstock, and they eventually became his touring band when his health would allow. They are true keepers of the flame and do an incredible job of bringing the music we all know to life. It is a very rare treat to have them on the West Coast. For more than 30 years, the Rex Foundation has funded organizations most people might never have heard of, but all of whom do meaningful work that we find important. I believe that these same groups need all of us now more than ever, and I doubt there could be any better way to celebrate their work than by coming together with songs in the air and spirits held high. Here's a link to the ticketing page: http://www.rexfoundation.org/2016/10/13/ramble-on-rose-brings-midnight-…. If you are unable to attend but would like to support the Rex Foundation, there's also a link to our donation page: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/18195 Thank you! I look forward to seeing you there. Onward! Cameron Sears Executive Director
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Coming up: Nine days of music and memories of Jerry. https://www.dazebetween.com/