The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

May 2, 2008

Benefit concert planned for ATV, skateboard victims

By Amelia A. Pridemore

Drema Brown said she knows what it’s like to nearly lose a child and all the other hardships that result.

This weekend, the Midway resident hopes residents will support a benefit concert for two families that have lost children and another family that has a seriously injured son.

Beginning at 11 a.m. Sunday, Brown will host a benefit concert at the Sophia Food Lion parking lot in Lester Square. She said all proceeds will go to three families affected by ATV and skateboarding accidents. James Douglas Walz, 19, of Coal City, was killed March 31 in a Coal City ATV accident. Walz’s passenger, 13-year-old Coal City resident Tyler Robinson, was seriously injured and has been at Charleston Area Medical Center since. In a separate incident, 12-year-old skateboarder Curtis Webb was struck and killed by a State Police cruiser March 22.

Brown said several local musicians representing various genres are booked, including Backkountry Band, Rockhouse Road Band, “Lady D,” Darrell Ramsey (a.k.a. “Double D”), Jimmy Jones and Josh Pollard, Chris Heron, Robert and Jammal, Paul Painter, Uncle Salty and Laris Brown.

Anyone who donates will be eligible for several door prizes, Brown said. Larger items including a West Virginia University Mountaineer canopy tent will be raffled. Those who register for the larger prizes do not have to be present to win.

Brown said she did not know any of the affected family members well before organizing the concert, but she understands hardship. At age 14, she was struck by a drunk driver. When her daughter, Chelsea Kiblinger, was 11 years old, Kiblinger was seriously ill and hospitalized several times. Such illnesses can emotionally and financially devastate a family.

“I didn’t know anybody — I just cared,” she said.

— E-mail: apridemore@register-herald.com



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