WASHINGTON, DC (Sony/ Webster PR) - When Sony Recording Artist
Brad Cotter (www.bradcotter.com) tours the south this October, he will be doing it with more than a song in his heart. This native of Opelika, Alabama, turned Nashville Star sensation will be on a mission. In each of the eight cities on his tour schedule for the month, Cotter will join with local American Red Cross workers and volunteers to raise money for the American Red Cross disaster relief operations that provide for the urgent needs of disaster victims, such as emergency food, water, shelter and other basic necessities.
'You hear on the news that the Red Cross needs help, and you think to yourself 'I should do that,' but then other things get in the way and you assume it's a need someone else will fill,' said Cotter. 'But this time I want to be the 'someone' that helps. This is one of those things I don't want to look back on and say 'I meant to'.'
Cotter is utilizing his current national tour to raise awareness and funds by encouraging his fans to contribute and his peers to join in to raise money for Red Cross disaster relief. For well over a month, the Red Cross relief operations have been and continue to respond to victims of the recent hurricanes, including those hit by Hurricane Ivan – the third hurricane to hit the southeastern United States in just over a month. Ivan devastated Cotter's home state of Alabama and other parts of the Gulf coast before moving inland in the form of tornadoes and residual storms that has caused massive flooding as far north as Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
'Alabama's where I grew up—I have family and friends there that have believed in me and supported me my whole life,' said Cotter. 'Last April when Nashville Star brought me home for a concert, it seemed like the whole state turned out to help me and the Red Cross. Now I want to return the favor—supporting the Red Cross again so they can help my neighbors—not just in Alabama, but in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and all across the country.'
In the five weeks since that first hurricane made landfall in Florida, the Red Cross has opened more than 1,300 emergency shelters and evacuation centers in affected areas housing more than 350,000 people and has served more than 6-1/2 million meals and snacks to evacuees and victims of the recent hurricanes and related severe weather. In Alabama and the adjacent Florida panhandle area, the Red Cross opened 178 shelters sheltering nearly 21,000 people and served more than 165,000 meals and snacks to-date (as of September 22, 2004).
'The demands of these three, recent hurricanes – Charley, Frances and Ivan – have required an unprecedented response from the Red Cross. This combined relief operation is the largest response to a natural disaster in our 123-year history,' said Julie Whitmer, Director of Celebrity and Relationship Outreach for the American Red Cross. 'Funds raised at these concerts to support the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund enable us to meet the current needs and help ensure that the Red Cross will be there wherever and whenever disaster strikes.'
Cotter is inviting all friends and fans to his upcoming shows and challenging them to get involved:
- October 1 Mobile, AL Mobile Bayfest
- October 8 Greenville, SC WSSL/WESC FESTIVAL
- October 9 Jackson, TN Casey Jones Village Amphitheater
- October 14 Tuscaloosa, AL West Alabama State Fair
- October 15 Auburn, AL Auburn University
- October 23 Columbia, TN The Junction
- October 29 Scottsboro, AL Fall Color Cruise
'I realized that it takes all of us helping together,' said Cotter, who spent some time recently recording public service announcements for the Red Cross and learning more about all that they do – which includes responding to more than 72,000 disasters in the last year. 'Like my song says, 'talk is cheap' – I'm ready to take some action.'
You can help the victims of Hurricane Ivan, Frances and Charley and thousands of other disasters across the country each year right now by calling 1-800-HELP NOW or visiting www.redcross.org.
