Southport Magazine

by Kelsey MacDaniel and Bethany Turner

What: Rock for a Cure
When: Friday, October 17th • 6 p.m.
Where: The Reel Cafe, 100 S. Front St., Wilmington
Cost: $5/person
Info: www.uncw.edu/rockforacure

Rock for a Cure is a breast cancer benefit that was established in October 2007 by the UNC Wilmington Communication Studies Society student organization. Each year, a group of students from the society organizes a concert held in Wilmington, NC, to raise awareness of breast cancer and to raise funds for the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Foundation’s Pink Ribbon Project. Since the event’s inception, Rock for a Cure has raised more than $27,000 to assist local women battling breast cancer.

The Schoolboys, a rock cover band featuring UNCW faculty who have been playing together since 1998, will perform at this year’s Rock for a Cure. Courtesy photo

The eighth annual Rock For a Cure benefit concert will take place on October 17th on the rooftop of The Reel Café in downtown Wilmington. Tickets are $5 with doors opening at 6 p.m. Local classic rock cover band, The Schoolboys, will perform at the benefit. The band is made up of UNCW faculty members who have been performing together since 1998. Those in attendance can enjoy the live music, rooftop view of the Cape Fear River, as well as a silent auction and raffle drawing.

Items from previous auctions include: an autographed copy of “Glee” signed by Mark Salling, a Fender Acoustic guitar, VIP tickets to the Ellen DeGeneres Show, and tickets to the NASCAR All-Star Race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Past raffle items include gift cards to local restaurants, passes to the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher, and Freakers. This year’s organizing students—Kelsey MacDaniel, Karina Villalobos, Taylor Waddell, and Jamie Walton—are still gathering auction and raffle items as part of the organization of the event. This year’s donors already include Scotty McCreery, Bellezza Salon, Islands Fresh Mex Grill, Aussie Island, Children’s Museum of Wilmington, Gold’s Gym, Tazy’s Burgers and Grill, Freaker USA, Island Passage, UNCW Bookstore, Chick-fil-a Mayfaire, Wilmington Hammerheads, UNCW Presents, and a private donor has offered a Virginia Tech football helmet autographed by coach Frank Beamer.

More than $5,000 was raised at last year’s event. With the low cost of admission, MacDaniel says, “Rock for a Cure is a great way for students to get involved and give back to their community without breaking the bank.”

All proceeds will go to New Hanover Regional Medical Center’s Pink Ribbon Project. The goal of the Pink Ribbon Project is to give uninsured Wilmington women access to mammograms and other screenings that will prevent the spread of breast cancer. In addition to these preventative measures, “comfort bags” are provided to women going through breast cancer treatment. The bags include pillows to comfort women during treatment, a guide to beating breast cancer, a planner to keep track of appointments, and more.

Christine King was the 2013 Rock For a Cure guest speaker and is a breast cancer survivor. “The resources, both tangible and intangible, provided by fundraisers like this are a great help to those of us who have dealt with cancer in our lives,” King shares. “Encouragement, support, hope and inspiration—all of these are wonderful gifts provided by events such as this.”