Judy Collins in Concert for MHA

   Riverside Theatre will be the site for “ An Evening with Judy Collins” a concert on Saturday evening April 5, 2008 as a fundraiser for the Mental Health Association in Indian River County, Inc. The gala event will follow TurtleTrax 2008:  Opening Doors Changing Lives, which will be launched on February 23^rd with the 3^rd Annual 5K Turtle Trek Community Walk and TurtleTrax Community Festival & Art Exhibit.

   Judy Collins has thrilled audiences worldwide for more than 40 years with her unique blend of interpretative folksongs and contemporary themes. The music of such artists as Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, as well as the traditional songs of the folk revival, sparked Judy Collins' love of lyrics and the guitar. Ms. Collins is also noted for her rendition of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" which is in the Grammy's Hall of Fame and for "Send in the Clowns," the 1975 Grammy Awards winning song.  

     Ms. Collins creates music that speaks to hope and healing, that lights up the world and speaks to the heart.  That, coupled with her support of mental health, will bring her to Vero Beach to perform on behalf of the MHA.

“Ms. Collins has suffered a tragedy in her life with the loss of her only son,” explains Kristine Sarkauskas, President and CEO of the MHA. “Her latest book, Sanity and Grace, A Journey of Suicide, Survival and Strength, Sarkauskas continues, “is a deeply moving memoir, focusing on the death of her son and the healing process following the tragedy. The book speaks to all who have endured the sorrow of losing a loved one before their time. In the depths of her suffering, Judy found relief by reaching out to others for help and support. Now, she extends her hand to comfort other survivors whose lives have been affected by similar tragedy.  Her tragedy and how she learned to deal with it parallels what we do at MHA for the residents of Indian River County.”

     Tickets for Judy Collins are now on sale by calling Riverside Theatre at 772-231-6990 or 800-445-6745 or on the website at www.riversidetheatre.com. Tickets are $75 each for the concert or $500 for the package which includes Dinner, Concert and Auction of artistically painted doors, three foot fiberglass turtles and cobblestone paths.

     The MHA, a United Way Agency, is the only nonprofit resource that people in Indian River County have for immediate access to crisis counseling and support for mental and emotional challenges. MHA proves its value to the community everyday in the lives saved, the families helped and the connections made for people facing mental health challenges.  Each year, an average of 150 people attend support groups offered by the MHA including groups for people with bi-polar disorder, chronic depression and schizophrenia, women’s issues, family members of people with chronic mental illness and victims of domestic violence.

For more information on the concert, call the MHA office at 772-569-9788 or visit www.TurtleTrax.org. For mental health solutions, visit www.mahirc.org