Strike a Chord, entering its third year as an organization at the University of Rhode Island, looks to make even more noise this year than last.
Organization President Nick Bottai, junior, explained how the group brings together music and philanthropy through benefit concerts and charity events. Over the past three years, their proceeds have helped a large number of both local and national causes.
“Everybody in the group shares a love for music and the passion to make a difference in the community,” Bottai said. In the past, the club has raised money towards charities such as Doctors Without Borders, Partners in Health, the Westerly WARM Center, the Early Childhood Development Center in Nepal, Hasbro Children’s Hospital and the Jimmy Fund.
Bottai has been involved with the group since high school. He said that the club originated from Chariho High School. The group’s founder, Jordan Siniscalchi, hosted a benefit concert for Haiti earthquake relief where Bottai played as a performer in the show. After realizing that many of the members were coming to URI the following year, they decided to start the club here as well.
The group has been trying to focus their philanthropic efforts on local charities, including the WARM Center of Westerly. They feel that they can help make the biggest impact with their proceeds to nearby places in need.
This year, Strike a Chord plans to continue with the work they have been doing in the past, and hope to gain some new members for this upcoming year. Last year, they were able to make a very admirable donation to the WARM Center of Westerly of $671, following a Battle of the Bands event hosted in Edwards Auditorium.
For the upcoming year, they are looking to draw in some more younger students, as well as enlist the help of other clubs. Bottai believes that through pairing with other clubs on campus, they will be able to draw bigger crowds to their events, which in turn, will help make a bigger impact.
“Our club is nothing without the volunteers and dedicated members,” Bottai said. “We are hoping to get younger students involved this semester and spread our passion of music and community to the rest of URI.”
Strike a Chord meets on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in room 313 of the Memorial Union. The club welcomes anyone, and Bottai encourages everyone to come and get involved. During their first meeting, which took place this past Tuesday, September 15, members decided the date and location for their next event of the year.
If interested in “changing lives through music” with Strike a Chord, they can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and the URI Student Organizations page.