caption:

 

Kylie Thuotte sings. Eric Brown carves a bear holding a fish. Linda Lemmon photos

 

 

 

Particle Accelerator

raises $7,000,

draws record crowd

PUTNAM — The 8th Annual Particle Accelerator: A Day of Music and Hope held June 7 raised a record-tying $7,000 for United Services and was attended by record crowds.

The free, all-day music festival featured 21 bands playing music of all genres and for all ages. The concert began at noon and continued until after 11 p.m. More than 600 people attended throughout the day.

Performers included: White Rose Confession, Santa Mamba, Lllama Tsunami, Kala Farnham, Adam Trudel, Frank Pace and the All Stars, Dragonfly Diversion, Synergy, The Papa Joe Show, Jason Bleau, Shane Hall, The Grey Curtain and more.

“We are grateful to event organizers Jack and Grace Young and Eric and Sandy Gould, who work with United Services throughout the year to make Particle Accelerator happen,” said honorary event chair and United Services President/CEO Diane L. Manning. “This year we saw a record amount of people come out for the music and the efforts to raise awareness that mental health and suicide are serious public health issues that can affect anyone.”

The annual benefit concert has two main goals. The first is to raise funds and awareness to support United Services, Inc., one of Connecticut’s most comprehensive private, nonprofit behavioral health centers, providing mental and behavioral health education, prevention, treatment and social services to the children, adults and families of northeastern Connecticut since 1964.

The second goal is to provide information and support for depression and suicide prevention, while promoting music and civic engagement as a healthy alternative to drug and alcohol abuse among young adults.

In addition to the music, the event also featured resources on local mental health services from United Services, the Norwich Vet Center and the Windham County chapter for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Representatives from the transsexual support group, Transitioning and Loving Life (TaLL) as well as SeizeTheFacts.com and Preventing Teen Tragedy also provided information and resources at the event.

Particle Accelerator’s Wall of Angels, a moving tribute to friends and family members lost the suicide, honored more than 180 people this year with photos on the wall and the lighting of luminaria at dusk.

The festival is held in memory of local musician Jack Young Jr. and organized by local residents, business owners, musicians and artists.

Funds raised will sponsor Mental Health First Aid Training, a public education initiative that helps the public identify people in the midst of a mental health crisis more readily and get them the resources and professional help they need before they harm themselves or others.

Since 2007, the Particle Accelerator concerts have raised more than $32,000 for local mental health services.