Anatomy of an Achievement
One in an occasional series. We ask an achiever to detail some of the process:
The achiever: Miles Brown, 19, a sophomore at N.C. State.
The achievement: Creating BARNSTOCK, an annual charity concert held at his family farm in Huntersville, benefitting the Davidson Fire Department. It’s generated more than $12,000 for the organization in the past three years. Nine bands performed this year (Aug. 6), and Miles estimates 850 people attended.
The germ of the idea: “In the summer of ’09, two of my friends were over at our house playing in our music room. They both were in bands and were looking for a place to do a show. I suggested they use our music room for a show (this room can hold 50 people, tops). My family suggested we use our barn in Huntersville as the venue for the show. It took off from there.”
The best part: “I think one of the coolest things we all experience every year is after the show when we start getting feedback. Everybody is always so positive and enjoys their time at BARNSTOCK. Hearing the positive comments come in while totaling up the money we raise, and how many people attended after all the hard work is an awesome feeling.”
The biggest challenge: “With BARNSTOCK ’11 I think the biggest challenge was having the event outside for the first time. When you move an event outdoors, it is a whole new ballgame.”
Overcoming the challenge: “With having it outside we had to build a stage, construct a roof for the stage on the day of the event, supply power to the stage, create a different parking strategy, and control the crowd in a completely different way. There are many more exciting obstacles we faced this year, but those are the ones that stand out.”
Most valuable resources: “My family, friends and bands that perform are what keep this thing going. There is a countless number of resources that I rely on for this event each and every year.”
The most personally satisfying element: “I watched my family and friends play music in front of a huge crowd in the pouring rain, at an event that we had been planning for a year. I did this while knowing that what we were doing was making a positive impact in the community. This was very satisfying.”
In the future: “We want to raise more money for the Davidson Fire Department, bring in more bands, make an even more diverse mix of music, and keep having fun with it.”
-Brittany Penland
