(Sub) Phish played a special concert at Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction, VT last Wednesday night. The show raised in excess of $1.2 million dollars for Vermont flood recovery efforts. Major donors generously underwrote all the production expenses for the evening, contributing greatly to the concert's success. All proceeds - including ticket revenues, merchandise, download and webcast sales and concessions - will be directed to The WaterWheel Foundation and the Vermont Community Foundation to aid in the recovery of the Green Mountain State. The event broke attendance records at the venue, which is the largest facility in Northern Vermont. Governor Peter Shumlin introduced the band, which got its start at the University of Vermont in 1983.
"It was amazing and inspiring to see so many people come together through music to aid the great state of Vermont," said Phish guitarist/vocalist Trey Anastasio. "We're so grateful to the businesses and individuals that helped us raise as much money as possible for the recovery process."
The WaterWheel Foundation was created by Phish in 1997 to oversee the band's various charitable activities. The Vermont Community Foundation was founded in 1986 and is Vermont's largest homegrown philanthropic foundation, managing a collection of over 600 charitable funds that invest more than $18 million annually in Vermont through grants, loans and other investments. In the aftermath of tropical storm Irene, the Foundation is working with donors and other partners to facilitate donations for relief and recovery efforts, including the establishment of a fund to benefit Vermont farmers affected by the storm.
