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Quad Cities Business News // SEPTEMBER 2021 quadcitiesbusinessnews.com
Big Sting Expecting Big Crowds Country music festival honoring military veterans, law enforcement officers and first responders
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By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN
ountry Western singer Cory Marks says, “Drive, get out of this town for a little while,” and Vicki Burton says, “Make your destination Watson Lake for the Big Sting Country Music Festival Weekend Campout.” The Big Sting is being hosted by the Shadows Foundation, now in its 11th year as a non-profit organization helping first responders receive advanced health screenings and supporting individuals in need of financial assistance who are affected by life-threatening illness. “This is our biggest event we’ve ever had,” said Burton, Shadows Foundation founder and festival organizer, who is expecting as many as 5,000 people. “We have really good artists – Jerrod Neimann, Shenandoah, Ned Ledoux, Parmalee, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, Sunny Sweeny and Cory Marks, for example.” The outdoor event at Watson Lake will have lawn seating with bar areas, food trucks and some tents. “We anticipate that a lot of people will be
Hearts Worth Saving was created when Northern Arizona firefighter Patrick Burns approached Burton camping. We’ll also have some walk-in after he researched how vulnerable first responders traffic,” she said. are. Through Shadows, hundreds of “I found there is a 300% firefighters and police officers have greater risk of having received the free advanced screening a heart attack than the service, which ordinarily would cost general population,” $225. Also, more than 500 Northern Arizona families and individuals have Burns told FBN about first responders in a 2018 interreceived financial support in times of view. At age 41, he had a sickness. heart attack while jogging “No one battling life-threatening with his wife, despite the illness should worry about how he fact that he was young, or she is going to pay utility bills, get healthy, physically fit and to doctor appointments, put gas in had just passed his annual the car, keep food on the table, cover physical exam. Two years Thousands of people are expected to attend the October festival at Watson Lake with proceeds copay costs and medical bills, make going to the Shadows Foundation. This year’s event is expected to be the organization’s largest later, he had another. household repairs, get firewood to ever. Courtesy photo Shadows also has partkeep warm or any other day-to-day living necessity,” said Burton. “That is nered with the Flagstaff Gates open at 5 p.m., Thursday Oct. end music festival are $100 for threewhy there is the Shadows Foundation, Police Department to develop a com14. A U.S. Army flag ceremony will day adult passes. Children age 12 and passionate solution to panhandling so we can help with the right now, so kick off the evening honoring military under get in free. Military personnel, individuals can focus on getting better, with the Better Bucks Program. It allows donors to purchase vouchers that veterans, law enforcement officers and veterans and the music will begin so they can spend the time with loved with southern rock band The Bayou can be used like cash for non-alcoholic first responders will receive discountones.” Bandits. ed three-day passes for $35. Eleven Burton says the advanced screening, and non-tobacco related products at Flagstaff Business News is a sponsor which the foundation has made avail- participating local businesses. To date, hundred three-day passes are being of the Big Sting. For more informathe Shadows Foundation has paid out made available to firefighters, law able through its Hearts Worth Saving tion, visit thebigsting.com. QCBN enforcement agencies, veterans and more than $26,000 to participating program since 2012, can detect heart members of the military on a firstmerchants for redeemed vouchers. conditions in high-risk populations Tickets for the Big Sting long week- come, first-served basis. that may otherwise go undetected.
