Willsboro music festival set

WILLSBORO | On Oct. 12, 2009, a boy named Sylas entered into this world prematurely, about 11 ½ weeks early, weighing only close to 3 pounds. "Sylas' original due date was Christmas day, but my water broke much earlier than expected," shared his mother, Miranda Laferriere. After arriving at UVM Health Network - Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital in Plattsburgh, she was immediately transferred to the University of Vermont Medical Center, where he spent 47 days in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). "During that time, I stayed at the Ronald McDonald House because it was too much to commute between New York and Vermont." Since Feb. 14, 1984, the Ronald McDonald House in Burlington, Vt., has helped a countless number of individuals and families throughout the state, country, and beyond by providing them an affordable place to stay and home-cooked meals while their children are being treated at the UVM Children's Hospital. "It was such an amazing experience," Laferriere boasted. "It was like staying with family away from home." As a way to give back, Miranda and her husband, Bryant Laferriere, the owners of Old Orchard Place in Willsboro, are co-hosting a music festival on July 19 to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities. John DeFelice, a local artist known for his smooth vocals and acoustic takes on rock, folk, and Americana favorites, will kick off the inaugural festival at Old Orchard Place at 1:15 p.m. Old School (Jim Wade and Alan Cole) will follow, setting the stage for Fenging The Shui at 3:45 p.m. This reasonably new basement garage band plays grunge music from the 1990s and features Paul Buehler, who helped organize this event. "When we started reaching out to people to donate their time or money, the Ronald McDonald House stories started coming out, and the stories just keep coming," he shared. "We want to support them so that they can keep supporting others." Afterwards, at 5 p.m., Blues Without Borders, a rockin' blues band from Addison, Vt., will perform, and the evening will end with Ploughman's Lunch, a dirty folk jam band. "All these musicians are donating their time to be here, and others have been generous with their donations," said DeFelice. "We hope people will come out, listen to some great music, and help us support the Ronald McDonald House." For more information about Old Orchard Place, visit oldorchardplace.com. For more information on the Ronald McDonald House, visit rmhcvt.org.

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Willsboro music festival set

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