With the hustle-and-bustle of the holiday season filling the air, one organization is hoping to change the tone of Christmas for aging musicians.
Monday night at Rock 'n' Bowl de Lafayette, musicians to the stage to help musicians during the Blue Christmas fundraiser, a project of Blue Monday Mission.
John Williams, Blue Monday's executive director said, "The fact is musicians and artists are the ones who created our culture here."
Blue Mission's goal is to create support for aging, retired and elderly musicians and artists.
"We started as a way to celebrate our local musicians and help our older musicians who might be forgotten once they stop playing. We want to make sure they're taken care of because they're so important to our community and enrich our culture so much," said musician Sami Parbhoo.
The money raised helps provide health and life care services for those musicians in need.
Williams said it's crucial to support these artists. "We all need to take responsibility in taking care of our creative economy here. That's what the monthly even here at Rock 'N Bowl truly represents."
This year, Festival International is partnering with the organization to bring international and local artists together to serve the community.
"It brings out the cheer," Parbhoo said. "A lot of older people don't go to shows anymore. This is an early show, it is fun, you can dress up and it's just beautiful."
Gwen Venable Leblanc has attended several of the concerts.
"It's awesome," Leblanc said. "The food is great and it's just a wonderful, wonderful local project."
