Friday, April 25, 2008

Denton bands playing for a cause

By Robert Middaugh of North Texas Daily , Megan Schwarz of North Texas Daily

DENTON — Local bands are joining forces with Model International Organization to benefit the Dallas Center for Survivors of Torture.

Matthew and the Arrogant Sea, Febrifuge, Verülf and The Heartstring Stranglers will perform from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday at Strawberry Fields on the corner of West Oak Street and S. Bonnie Brae.

There will be a $5 cover charge, and all proceeds will go to the center.

Holly Guthrie, a 2007 alumna and former president of MIO, said she was inspired to help the center raise money during her senior year internship.

"Nonprofit organizations are always in need of more funding," Guthrie said. "When I worked there, there were only four paid staff members, including myself, so on days when the pro bono psychiatrist came, it would be a challenge to help the 20 or so clients that showed up."

The center mostly provides pro bono counseling specifically for foreign victims of torture, Guthrie said, and it has aided refugees and asylum-seekers from 57 countries.

"It was a hard place for a sensitive person like myself to work, but the cool thing was that a lot of the clients were brilliant," Guthrie said. "They were academics and political and grassroots leaders, and they bounce back quickly because they're very resilient."

Even after the center has helped clients, its client care coordinator Rena Taylor said they never leave the books.

"These people are starting their lives completely over," Taylor said. "It can be overwhelming, and we'll see them as long as necessary."

Heartstring Stranglers band member Freddy Schulze coordinated the bands for the event and said local bands will also perform 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Jupiter House, 106 N. Locust St. A CD featuring songs from each band will be for sale at the event.

Although this event is on the same day, only the Strawberry Fields event is affiliated with the CST benefit.

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