Jam for Justice draws talent for area shelter fundraiser

Singers, songwriters, musicians and performers of all types will be descending on the UW-Green Bay campus as the Second Annual Jam for Justice makes its way back to the Ecumenical Center auditorium May 8. The event will benefit Green Bay's Freedom House, a non-profit group that provides area families with housing and programming aimed at building strong homes. Early on in the evening, a representative of the Freedom House will be giving a presentation to raise awareness about the Freedom House and social justice issues. Organizers hope this talk will set a tone for the evening, giving the mission behind the music. "Really, it's a jam for social justice," said Mike Casey, a senior communication major and the event's music coordinator. "I ran it [the Jam for Justice] last year," Casey said. "I had a good time with it." There will be 11 acts performing throughout the night, providing a variety of musical genres. Among them is a hard rock band called Rushmore, a pop-folk group, the Hollands, and a traditional folk group, Good News, featuring UWGB professor James Marker. Two additional bands, which are regulars on the EC stage, will also be performing - the Finding Faith band typically plays Sunday nights and the InterVarsity ensemble performs Thursday nights, at the EC during the school year. These groups will feature mostly contemporary Christian music in their lineup. According to Casey, because all the bands are from either the Fox Valley or the northeast Wisconsin area, they have a strong connection to the community. Casey estimated about two-thirds of the acts are made up of students, either as solo acts or duos. One of the duos will feature singer and recent UWGB graduate Jenn Feyen and Phoenix Basketball standout Mike Schachtner. Casey will also be performing a solo act. As a musician, Casey has been performing for about eight years. He began his first-ever solo act on-stage during a show at the Harmony Café in Appleton. Since then, he has lit up venues such as the Miramar Theatre in Milwaukee and formerly the West in downtown Green Bay, now Nick Barnett's Club Five-Six. "I love music," Casey said. "I like to take my passions and use them to benefit people in my community who need help. I feel that I wouldn't be using my gifts responsibly if I didn't do things like this." The event begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Ecumenical Center auditorium, located across the parking lot from the Kress Events Center. Admission is free with a donation of a canned food item, household supplies or a new or gently used clothing item.