WILLIAMSBURG — Local musician Jon Smith will perform a benefit concert at Charly’s Airport Restaurant, 100 Marclay Dr., to support Hospice House & Support Care of Williamsburg.
The benefit concert will be held at the restaurant on Friday, Sept. 24 from 6 to 9 p.m., with proceeds going toward the nonprofit charitable organization that relies heavily on donations and fundraisers like this one.
Founded in 1982, Hospice House provides a home away from home for terminally ill patients, caring for them at the end of life and providing comfort and support to their families.
Smith said he has always had a heart for Hospice House.
“The folks over at Hospice do just amazing work helping people pass with dignity and comfort,” he said. “They were there for my mother’s end of life care back in late 2011 and early 2012. So giving back to them has always been really important to me.”
Smith said that Charly’s owner Dan Hausman will take the check he would normally write for him to perform at the restaurant and give the money to Hospice. Smith will also have a donation box that will go directly to the organization.
Hausman said that he is happy to support the local organization.
“I think a lot of folks in Williamsburg and surrounding areas have a personal connection to Hospice House as they’ve taken great care of family and friends, helping them pass peacefully in a wonderful environment,” he said.
Hausman also has a personal connection to Hospice.
“They took excellent care of my father-in-law in 2018, who was a great friend of mine, for one,” he said. “He was there for two weeks on the brink of passing away from stage 4 pancreatic cancer, then miraculously popped up and lived for another 9 months, well past what the doctors were calling for, and ended up passing at home. Nevertheless, they took great care of him while he was there, and also for my grandmother-in-law who passed there in 2019.”
Smith is an employee at Virginia Beer Company (VBC), 401 2nd St, which will also host a benefit concert for Hospice House.
VBC previously held “Hops, Hope, and Hillbilly Jazz” in 2019, where they raised several thousand dollars for Hospice.
“Hops, Hope, and Hillbilly Jazz” will return to VBC on Saturday, Sept. 18 and will feature live music performances from Nathan Lienard, Charlie Dunn & Billy Joe Daniel, and RAPJACK.
The event will start at 5:30 p.m.
“It’s amazing the heart of these local businesses that will allow events like this to take place in the first place,” Smith said.
Smith has also set up a Facebook fundraiser for Hospice House. The goal was to hit $1,000.
“If I hit $1,000, I agreed to shave my head and my beard for the event,” Smith said.
The fundraiser has already raised over $1,500. Smith said that after the success of reaching the first goal, new goal has been set to raise $3,000.
Smith’s Facebook fundraiser for Hospice House can be found here.
