NOVATO, Calif.– The Second Annual Birthday Benefit Bash for Brett Martinez, president and CEO of Redwood Credit Union, and Mark Nelson, lead singer of Walking Mirrors Music, who share a birthday, was held at the HopMonk Tavern and drew a sellout crowd of 300 attendees.
All proceeds, including the ticket cost and online donations, totaling $24,076.50, were donated to the Redwood Credit Union Community Fund (RCUCF), benefiting two nonprofits known for their commitment to nurturing youth and fostering community connections through the power of music and the arts: Performing Stars of Marin and Marin Youth Symphony.
“This was a fun way for Mark and I to celebrate another year while positively impacting the lives of local youth in our community,” Martinez says. “Thanks to the generous support of donors, attendees, and these two amazing organizations, we’re able to pave the way for the next generation of musicians and music lovers.”
Performing Stars of Marin provides opportunities for low-income and at-risk children to be involved in art, music, theater and other enrichment opportunities. Since inception, Performing Stars has served over 3,000 youth in Marin.
The Marin Youth Symphony Orchestra scholarship program allows youth age 13-18 from diverse backgrounds to participate in the orchestra to enrich, educate, and transform lives through classical music. The orchestra is composed of approximately 80 auditioned high school and middle school musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area.
Rock band Walking Mirrors was formed in 2019 by singer/songwriter Mark Nelson and lead guitarist/producer Craig Bartock, longtime guitarist for the band Heart. Ticket proceeds from all their performances are donated to local nonprofits.
“Celebrating a birthday with my good friend Brett Martinez while benefitting others is a distinct honor,” Nelson said. “It aligns perfectly with our Walking Mirrors Music mission: connecting to community through live music.”