Organizers 'pump up the volume' of Project: Rock for Autism

It's one of those mathematical things that fascinates people when they first hear it: Take a penny, double it the first day; then double that the next day. Keep doubling every day for 30 days, and you'd have more than $10.7 million.

Since last year's Project: Rock for Autism fundraiser raised $2,400 for the University of South Florida's Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, organizers Steve Toth and Britt Smith made it their goal to double the tally again this year. The 2009 total of $2,400 was double the amount of money taken in during the fundraiser's inaugural year.

The third Project: Rock for Autism benefit concert will take place from noon until 7 p.m. Saturday May 22, at Gulf High School's Des Little Stadium, 5355 School Road. All-day passes will be $5.

Toth and Smith, along with a third Gulf student, Crystal Rosado, put together Project: Rock for Autism in 2008 in order to fulfill their high school community service requirement. But they also felt a genuine commitment to the cause of raising autism awareness.

In 2009, the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg gave Toth, Smith and Rosado its Anne Frank Humanitarian Award.

Last year, rescheduling the concert for mid-May instead of during summer vacation made a big difference because they were able to publicize the event at area high schools. This year, now that Project: Rock for Autism is more established, their plan is to make it a bigger fundraiser by staging a bigger concert.

Scheduled to run nearly twice as long as last year, the event will now include 12 bands on two stages and a larger PA system. There will be more vendors and more pre-concert promotion. All that will leave plenty of ad space for businesses to add themselves to the list of local sponsors.

Toth explained they will need about $3,000 to cover staging, PA, security and power. Donations of any size would be appreciated. In return, acknowledgement of sponsors will be provided through stage banners, logos on all flyers and promotional material, links to the event's Web site, and in online promotions.

Each of the first two shows drew more than 200 spectators, and with its growing size and recognition, this year is expected to draw far more than that, Toth said.

The bands currently booked include Set it Off, Misunderstood Superheroes, Look Right Penny, Trace of Day, Rose Connelly, Solia Tera, Worst Case Scenario, Late Night Glory, Fear of Flying, and WD-Han. Toth and Smith are looking for two more bands to perform and three more backup bands.

Any Bay area band interested in getting on the bill should email a press kit to theengravedsilence@yahoo.com. The kit should include at least one recent recording; pictures; a logo; a link to your online presence, i.e. MySpace, Facebook, etc.; and a brief group bio. Bands of all genres will be considered.

Companies and organizations interested in sponsorship opportunities should also send an e-mail expressing your interest to theengravedsilence@yahoo.com or calling 727-372-6507 and they will be contacted with all the necessary forms and information.

Search for Project: Rock for Autism on Facebook and become a fan for more information and concert updates. Once again, the concert will be a benefit for the USF's CARD program, a nonprofit that assists families, service providers and community organizations and agencies in supporting children and adults with autism and related disabilities.