Benefit for Tony Cuffe

Subject: RE: Boston Globe story on Cuffe & friends
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 04:03 PM

Click here for article

Subject: Boston Globe story on Cuffe & friends
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 09:51 AM

A very nice article about the benefit for the Cuffe family in Boston in today's Globe:

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/314/living/Grass_roots_benefits_keep_civic_pride_alive+.shtml

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Grass-roots benefits keep civic pride alive

By Don Aucoin, Globe Staff, 11/10/2001

The friends of ailing singer-guitarist-teacher Tony Cuffe will gather tonight and tomorrow to make music in his name and to raise money for a man who did much to revitalize the Celtic song tradition.

In doing so, Cuffe's friends will become the latest Bostonians to do their part in sustaining a different kind of tradition, one as widespread as it is unheralded: the grass-roots, small-scale fund-raiser for people who are suddenly struck by misfortune.

Such fund-raisers, which crop up in union halls, church centers, or ethnic lodges virtually every weekend, don't boast the rock stars, movie idols, or hype of the televised concerts that have raised millions for victims of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Individual misfortune, not national calamity, gives rise to these events. Their organizers are usually average citizens who lack the organizational muscle of the major charitable organizations.

But week in, week out, they offer perhaps the truest expression of the spirit of compassion, generosity, and the civic ties that bind. In their quiet way, grass-roots benefits may represent the ''commitment to service in our own communities'' that President Bush urged upon the public in his speech Thursday night.

''All ethnic groups, all income groups, are providing this interpersonal assistance to the concentric circle of family, friends, and associates around them,'' said Paul Schervish, director of the Social Welfare Research Institute at Boston College. ''This is far more extensive than documented, and far more valuable as a safety net than previously recognized.''

It's neighbor helping neighbor, as with ''Anthony's Dream,'' a fund-raising drive that generated more than $25,000 with a walk-athon, a boat cruise, and a ''Motown night'' to help Anthony Matson of Charlestown, who died of cancer last month at age 27. Or it's colleague helping colleague, as with the musicians who've rallied around Tony Cuffe as he wages his own struggle with cancer.

As such efforts often do, this weekend's sold-out fund-raisers at BC for Cuffe originated with friends asking one another a simple but urgent question: ''What can we do?'' They contacted numerous musicians who have performed with Cuffe, a member of the former Scottish folk group Ossian, or have taken his classes on traditional music in BC's ''Gaelic roots'' program. When musicians were asked to take part in a pair of benefit concerts, the affirmative responses poured in.

''All of us who love Tony have a sense of helplessness about his illness, and working to help his family gives us a feeling that there's something we can do,'' said one of the organizers, Laurel Martin, a Westford resident who plays and teaches the Irish fiddle.

The eagerness of musicians to help Cuffe, Martin added, means ''we're getting to see how all that warmth and good energy he has sent out into the world has magnified, and is reflecting back on what is a very dark time for him and his family. It makes you conscious of what a lot of power there is in one person's goodness.''

Organizers hope to raise $20,000 to cover living expenses for Cuffe, his wife, Catherine, who has taken an unpaid leave from her nursing job to care for him, and their three children. ''The love and support that's poured towards us has totally amazed us,'' Catherine Cuffe said yesterday. ''This will allow me time to be with him, and that's the most wonderful gift they've given me. We're getting a lot of strength from this.''

That feeling runs both ways when it comes to giving.

''People want to do good, and they feel good doing good for others,'' said Jorge Martinez, director of the Roxbury-based Project Right. ''When someone passes away, you go from business to business collecting for their family. If there's an illness, people get together, they'll buy the groceries, they'll bake the cakes. When we're given an opportunity, we reach out.''

Sometimes, grass-roots fund-raisers intended as one-time events to benefit a single individual turn into something bigger and more permanent.

That seems to be the case with ''Anthony's Dream.'' It was launched three months ago to help with medical costs for Matson, a popular and respected resident of the Bunker Hill housing development who was known for his involvement in sports and youth activities.

A core group of about a dozen friends grew to around 30 who quickly mobilized several fund-raising events and launched a Web site.

''It was, `Who can get buttons? Who wants to get pictures? Who wants to get the food?'' recalled Kevin O'Halloran, a deputy director of the Life Focus Center in Charlestown. In no time, there were 1,000 T-shirts with ''Anthony's Dream'' printed on them, a gratifying sight to Matson.

''He felt the love of the community,'' said O'Halloran. ''I know he did.''

Matson died Oct. 2, but organizers went ahead with a walkathon that had been planned. And now, in keeping with Matson's wishes, they plan to keep ''Anthony's Dream'' going as a nonprofit charity to help other Charlestown residents facing serious illness.

There may be another lasting effect as well, one that suggests a link after all between the star-studded extravaganzas that followed the Sept. 11 catastrophe and the more modest fund-raisers that respond to individual cases of need. ''It definitely knit together the community,'' said O'Halloran. ''People came together.''

Subject: RE: Benefit for Tony Cuffe
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 06 Oct 01 - 05:35 PM

How sad! I heard him live in Glasgow some years ago and have his solo CD (buy it if it's still available!). He came across as a thoroughly nice person as well as a great singer. I very much hope he can beat his illness. And success for the benefit!

Subject: RE: Benefit for Tony Cuffe
From: Peg
Date: 06 Oct 01 - 04:59 PM

If you go to the website you will see a short bio of him...

Subject: RE: Benefit for Tonyis.fe
From: 53
Date: 06 Oct 01 - 04:53 PM

i don't know who tony cuff is

Subject: RE: Benefit for Tony Cuffe
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 06 Oct 01 - 12:27 PM

I have very fond memories of doing a Celtic guitar workshop with Tony the year we both played Old Songs and finishing up playing Niel Gow's Lament with him. We're pulling for him. Thanks for the information.

Subject: Benefit for Tony Cuffe
From: Peg
Date: 06 Oct 01 - 12:21 PM

This two-part event will be held Saturday and Sunday November 10th and 11th at Boston College.

Tony, founder of the group Ossian and very talented musician from Glasgow, has cancer and this benefit is for him and his family.

This website has more information and a list of the performers. www.tcbenefit.org

I took a penny whistle class with Tony; he is an amazing person and very kind and gentle. I hope he will pull through this illness.

Subject: RE: BS: Tony Cuffe
From: Peg
Date: 27 Jul 01 - 10:40 AM

I saw Tony not too long ago--June?; he did a house concert at Gary Martin's place in Assonet.

It was meant to be a "farewell" concert as he is moving back to Scotland, but when I spoke to him he said the move has been delayed and he will be in Massachusetts for a while longer (not sure how long).

I was not aware of any health problems. He looked healthy enough to me! I took a pennywhistle class with him a couple years ago and asked him about harp lessons on this little Celtic harp I got recently...

Peg

Subject: Tony Cuffe
From: GUEST,BeauDangles
Date: 27 Jul 01 - 10:33 AM

Has anybody heard any news about Tony Cuffe lately. He's a wonderful Scottish singer, guitar player and harpist. I heard something from a trusted friend recently about his health, and I wanted to see if it was true. But I don't want to start any rumors either. Is he well?

BeauD