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Monday, September 20, 2010
News Local band The Division Red puts a spin on giving back
Posted By Web Editor on Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 4:54 PM
While many bands are interested in the money, notoriety, and the perks that come along with being rock stars, the Charlotte-based band The Division Red has bigger priorities. Along with writing and performing music, the group consists of three guys — drummer Mike Hernon, vocalist Ziggy Sloke and bassist Jarrod Starnes — dedicated to providing a better life for the less fortunate. The band has decided to donate 100 percent of the proceeds from its debut album, Red, to the nonprofit Philippine Aid Society in order to help a student go to college.
The band and the nonprofit created a scholarship for a Filipino to attend a four-year college in the Philippines, which, according to the band, costs around $2,000. The recipient of the scholarship has not been named yet. Applications are still being reviewed personally by the band. The fall semester begins in October.
The Philippine Aid Society was founded in 2009 by Hernon’s childhood friend, Tim Troutman. Troutman, whose wife is from the Philippine’s, decided to create the organization after visiting the country several times and witnessing the poverty level first hand. According to its website, www.philippineaid.org, the organization is “designed to take the poor and destitute and give them job skills and the means for self-production so they can provide for themselves and for their families.”
After hearing about Troutman’s organization, which works closely with colleges in the Philippines, Hernon — who works at Charlotte Rescue Mission during the day — did not have to think twice and found it to be the most logical outcome. “If we split $2,000 up over four years three ways, it would look like we didn’t do very good as a band. But by taking that same amount of money [we are] able to put somebody through college,” said Hernon, adding that he chose not to donate the funds from Red to Charlotte Rescue Mission because the program does not offer scholarships.
The other members of the self-described “punk/rock band,” Sloke and Starnes, were afraid of failure. “Their concern was, ‘What if this album doesn’t sell and what’s going to happen with the scholarship?’ I told them I would cover it if it didn’t sell,” said Hernon.
The Division Red, which has been together for a year and a half, perform locally at venues such as Tremont and the Milestone to help promote the CD. “We don’t really have the dream of being on the road anymore,” Hernon said, “or making millions of dollars because that’s not realistic for us.” He added that donating 100 percent of their proceeds to an organization is realistic. “This is something that we can accomplish, and that will help other people with their life.”
The CD, which was released in August, has gained enough profit in its first month of sales to pay for the first two months of college. If the band reaches their goal of 400 CDs sold, they plan to continue donating their proceeds to the organization.
“Once the scholarship is paid for this will just go towards helping out their soup kitchen they have, and depending on the success, even going towards another scholarship,” said Hernon.
So far, Troutman is pleased with the results: “It’s kind of a win-win situation for everyone because they get their name out there for the band and it turns into a tangible result for someone in the Philippines.”
Next up for both the band and the organization is the Philippine Aid Society’s second annual benefit concert aimed at raising money for the charitable projects in the Philippines. “Society Jam” will be held at Les Myers Park in Concord on Sept. 25, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event will feature Filipino food, karaoke, a silent auction, as well as The Division Red as the headliners.
The Division Red’s CD can be purchased on www.facebook.com/thedivisionred.
— Jamie Brown
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