Concert adds wine sale, documentary for Parkinson's research
The fourth annual Paul Ruby Foundation Concert for a Cure Saturday will have some new features - a documentary film about the foundation's fight against Parkinson's disease, and the sale of a special wine.
But it will also have plenty of what it has become known for: Music, food, drink, silent auctions and more. It starts at 1 p.m. at Tanna Farms Golf Club in Geneva.
"It's getting better and better every year, which is great," said Meaghan Holbrook, a volunteer for the foundation.
Erika Simpson, a 2010 Geneva High School graduate, has made a documentary film about the foundation, "In His Own Words," to raise awareness about the disease. It is posted on the foundation's website, and will be shown at 1 p.m. Saturday at the concert.
Last year's concert was attended by about 1,000 people and raised $52,000, Holbrook said. Since its first event in 2007, the foundation has raised more than $200,000 for research at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Northwestern University's Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Center.
Bands scheduled to perform include The Antennas, HOSS, the Michael Heaton Band, Dave Ramont and Friends, Gallery, The Future Burns, Noah Gabriel, Greg Boerner, The Wandering Endorphin, Gabe Perez, the Hix Bros. Junior All-Stars and The Dallas Motorcade.
Music starts at 2 p.m. The emcee is Lisa Dent of country radio station WUSN-FM, "US99."
There will be a moon jump and face painting, a live auction and a silent auction. Food from T.F. Boonie's, Salt Creek Barbeque and Graham's Chocolates will be sold, and there will be a beer garden and cash bar.
There will also be a pre-sale of a wine dedicated to the foundation, a 2007 cabernet sauvignon from Markham Vineyards of California. The vineyard has given the foundation $25,000 through its "Mark of Distinction" online contest. Bottles cost $50 apiece, and will be released in October.
Ruby, a Geneva resident, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2006, is general manager of the Herrington and vice president of hospitality for Shodeen Inc., which owns it.
Tickets to Saturday's extravaganza can be bought online at paulrubyfoundation.org, or at Fagan's, 524 W. State St., and Kiss the Sky Records, 301 W. State St., both in downtown Geneva. They cost $25 for adults, and $10 for patrons younger than 21.
For more information, contact dawn@paulrubyfoundation.org or call (630) 232-1122.