Hello everyone, As our president Ed Matyas noted in an earlier post, we’re working to define specific ways we can assist our Austin blues community while COVID-19 is keeping us all under shelter-in-place. There are two main areas we’re focusing on right now:
How can we help our less fortunate or elderly members who need assistance with everyday tasks
How can we help artists, venues, and merchants replace a portion of their lost income
First, we urge any artists, venues, or merchants that have set up donation links to offset your loss of income to share those links with us so that we can help promote them through our social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, email blasts, website, etc.). Second, we encourage artists who are hosting online performances (for example, through Facebook Live, YouTube or Vimeo) to regularly reach out to us with their schedules and links, and we will promote these events on our platforms and calendar. Third, we invite artists who are offering online lessons (for example, guitar classes) to contact us with their lesson information, and we will help to distribute that through our channels. Fourth, for those artists, venues and merchants who are continuing to take merchandise orders (t-shirts, artwork, CDs, downloads, etc.) for fulfillment, please let us know and we’ll highlight you to our membership. Next, we request that any of our members who are willing to help other members who require assistance with grocery shopping, prescription pick-up, or other needs, please send us your contact information (email or phone number) that you’re comfortable sharing publicly, and we will make sure that your offer of goodwill is made available on a volunteers registry. Finally, as a small measure of recognition for the financial support our paid members have provided to the Austin Blues Society, we are extending all memberships that have expired during 2020, or that will expire during 2020, until December 31st, 2020. Contact us at crisis-help@austinbluessociety.org – we’re ready to lend a hand! Gary Woodcock & Elijah Zane Board Advisors