John Hauss already has the blues, and he’s looking to use it to create joy.
Hauss, who manages local blues group the Kenny James Miller Band, said he and the band wanted to bring a blues festival to the Flathead’s music scene, but quickly noticed the opportunity to do something more.
The resulting idea came to fruition as the inaugural Northwest Montana Night of the Blues, taking place on Sept. 24 at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.
The event benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Montana and will feature the Kenny James Miller Band, the Spokane-based Laffin Bones, local longtime blues group Big Daddy and the Blue Notes and the Laura Cody Band.
While good music on a fall evening is a draw in itself, Hauss is certain the night will stay true to its cause.
“The crowd’s going to come to be entertained by the blues bands, but really the purpose is to show up and support Make-A-Wish Foundation,” he said.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Montana is a relative newcomer to the state, opening its offices last September, with a grand opening in February. The organization’s mission is to grant wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses, whether that means going to Disney World or becoming a superhero.
“Really, we’re only limited by the creativity of these kiddos,” Heather Ohs, state manager the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Montana, said.
Before Montana had its own Make-A-Wish offices, the state was part of a regional office in Seattle. Since they’ve opened their doors in Billings, Ohs said the foundation has granted 28 wishes for Montana’s kids. In sum, 345 wishes have been granted in the state since 1987.
As a nonprofit with only two people working in the new office, Ohs said events such as the Night of the Blues help raise awareness for the foundation and bring in necessary dollars.
“They really are our primary funding source to grant the wishes of the children,” Ohs said. “We just don’t have the hands or the manpower ourselves to put on events. We really rely on people who are passionate and talented.”
Hauss eagerly fills this role.
“My goal is to have enough sponsorship participation that not a penny comes out of the ticket proceeds and all of it goes to Make-A-Wish, and it looks like I’m almost there,” Hauss said. “I’m real happy about that.”
Night of the Blues will be held in the Flathead County Fairgrounds’ trade center and will include food and beverage vendors with beer and wine available for purchase. There will also be a donation table, as well as a potential silent auction.
The main space will be filled with general admission chairs, tickets for which cost $15. VIP tickets cost $25.
There will be six large TVs situated throughout the trade center, as well as two projection screens on the stage, donated by Best Buy. The electronics store’s employees will film the musicians on stage for the various screens, Hauss said.
“No matter where you are in the building, you’re going to have a great seat, so to speak,” Hauss said.
Make-A-Wish also sent video clips, ranging from three to six minutes each, to play on the screens between the musicians’ sets on stage, which Hauss said will keep the evening flowing and showcase the foundation’s achievements.
“Nobody’s going to get bored; the time will be filled beautifully,” he said.
The evening will also feature a local mother whose son was granted his wish in the 1990s. She will tell her story, Ohs said, which attests to the lasting impact the foundation’s efforts can have.
Recent wishes in Montana included facilitating an out-of-state girl’s dream to go on a dinosaur dig in Glendive, and helping other children become trained hands at dude ranches.
Ohs said the foundation helps children with life-threatening illnesses, which does not necessarily mean they are terminal. Eighty-one percent of the children who see their wishes come true end up overcoming their illnesses, she said.
“It’s just inspiring to see what their one true wish is,” Ohs said.
The event has already drawn the support of local businesses, Hauss said, such as the Bigfork UPS store, which donated 250 posters. He hopes it continues to gain steam and to make Night of the Blues an annual event.
For tickets to Night of the Blues, visit www.nwmtnightoftheblues.com. General admission beforehand is $15 and $20 at the door; VIP admission is $25 before the event and $35 at the door.
For more information on the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Montana, visit www.montana.wish.org or call 877-574-9474.