You’ve watched Skyler Fortgang’s acting on MyVeronaNJ. You may have heard his drumming at the H.B. Whitehorne spring concert. He’ll be performing in Verona again in two weeks and this time, it’s personal.
On Friday, June 18 at the Verona Community Center, Fortgang will be hosting a fundraiser concert to benefit FACES (Finding a Cure for Epilepsy & Seizures). Called Rhythm For A Cure, the concert is in honor of his younger brother, who was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2005.
He’s not alone. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, almost 3 million Americans are affected by epilepsy and 45,000 children under the age of 15 develop the disease each year. There are a variety of medicines available to treat the disease and some surgical options, but more remains to be done to improve outcomes and daily living. FACES is part of the NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, which funds epilepsy research and education, as well as community events for people with epilepsy, especially children and teenagers.
Fortgang, who is now wrapping up 7th grade at H.B. Whitehorne Middle School, will be performing along with classmates, teachers and musician friends. And they are promising a variety of music for concert-goers of all ages and musical tastes. The suggested donation is $10 for adults and $5 for children, payable at the door. The concert begins at 7 p.m. in the Community Center ballroom at 880 Bloomfield Avenue. For more information call 973-857-5068.
If you can’t attend, but want to help, the benefit’s donation page is here. If you still need convincing, watch the video below, one of many on MyVeronaNJ’s YouTube page.
