Deerfield Valley News: Dot’s Benefit concert a success

WILMINGTON – Wilmington welcomed folk musicians Jon Pousette-Dart and the duo Aztec Two-Step to Memorial Hall on Saturday in an effort to raise money to rebuild Dot’s Restaurant. The event was sponsored by the Wilmington Fund Vermont, an organization founded in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene to help raise money for rebuilding areas of town severely damaged by flood water in August 2011.

Saturday’s Memorial Hall concert developed from a collaboration between Dale Doucette, organizer of the Green Mountain Songwriter Series and a seasoned lighting and set designer, and Dan Kilmurray, president of the Wilmington Fund Vermont.“I put it together with the Memorial Hall Board,” says Doucette, “and I was hoping to do another installation of the Green Mountain Series with Jon Pousette-Dart. Dan was also hoping to do an event with Pousette Dart, so we thought we should combine efforts.”

Each act played to a full house on Saturday, with the proceeds from ticket sales going directly toward rebuilding Dot’s, which suffered heavy damage during Tropical Storm Irene. Bruce Mullen, treasurer of the Wilmington Fund Vermont, estimates that 100 premium seating tickets were sold at $150 each and that another 170 to 180 general admission tickets were sold at $25 to $30 a piece, bringing the overall fundraising result up to about $20,000.

Those who were not able to attend Saturday’s concert can still make a donation to the fund by filling a check out to “The Wilmington Fund VT” and mailing it to 14 Castle Hill, Wilmington, VT 05363. Credit card donations can be processed through the Preservation Trust of Vermont at http://www.ptvermont.org or by calling Elise Seraus at (802) 658-6647. The Wilmington Fund Vermont is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.