Comox Valley singer-songwriter Pamela Tessmann will be the guest performer at this month's 1st Tuesday Fundraiser Sept. 6 at the Mex Pub.
The evening starts at 7:30 p.m. with an opening set by hosts Judy and Bruce Wing, and admission is by cash donation.
The Mex Pub has sponsored these fundraisers on the first Tuesday of each month for the past three years, with local performers raising money for their favourite local charities and non-profit groups. Food donations are also accepted at the door as admission, in support of the Comox Valley Food Bank Society.
This month, guest performer Pamela Tessmann has chosen to support Love From Jenn with the evening's cash donations.
Love From Jenn is a new foundation being formed in the Valley in memory of Jenn Zahavich, who passed away in March of this year. Jenn was a young wife and mother, who shared her cancer experience with friends and family through her online blog. There, she shared her thoughts as a young mother, the lonely challenges and bright spots of her journey, as well as her hopes and aspirations.
One of those aspirations was the publishing of her children's book, Kisses for Later. The other was to leave behind a legacy of love and hope that would allow her to express her appreciation and to "pay forward" her thanks for the love that supported her.
A quote from her blog reads, "I want to start a foundation. A local charity foundation that I will call, 'LOVE FROM JENN.' My vision is to set up a foundation, so that if there is a family in my communty that finds themselves in a similar situation as ours, a cancer situation, I want there to be an option available to that family for them to consider naturopathic medicine."
Like Jenn, Tessmann is also a young mother, and she is choosing this musical occasion to support Jenn's wishes.
"Her story hits close to home for me because, as you know, we are a young family now and I just can't imagine having to go through such a terrifying experience," says Tessmann. "I also can't imagine leaving my son."
The money collected on Sept. 6 will be deposited into the Love From Jenn account at the Coastal Community Credit Union, where the seed money for new community resource will grow.
Tessmann creates beautiful music that is fresh, rhythmic and mesmerizing, with a smooth contemporary style that combines beautiful clear vocals with thought-provoking lyrics and imagery. Her debut CD Maybe features songs that visit familiar scenes of love and life and the community around us.
Joining Tessmann for her set will be talented percussionist Jim Stepan, so whether you enjoy music for the "feel" or the "content," you'll enjoy this concert setting.
Visit Tessmann's website at pamelatessmann.com or find the Love From Jenn page on Facebook.
— 1st Tuesday Fundraiser