“We are celebrating life – and doing good.”
That was the message CEO Mehran Assadi delivered in a Facebook live interview that was broadcast Saturday as thousands of people filled National Life’s hill for the 6th annual Do Good Fest.
The event was the most successful so far, attracting more than 10,000 people and raising $50,000 for the Branches of Hope cancer patient fund. This year’s total means the festival has raised $185,000 for Branches of Hope since 2014.
A birds eye view of Do Good Fest 2019
“Thank you National Life,” said Anna Noonan, the president and CEO of Central Vermont Medical Center, speaking from the stage at the festival. The medical center administers the patient fund, which helps cancer patients cover life expenses when cancer treatment makes it hard to make ends meet.
Anna presented Mehran with the CVMC’s first ever community partnership award. She said National Life’s commitment to Branches of Hope and its major funding of the National Life Cancer Treatment Center have provided immeasurable help to Central Vermont cancer patients.
“Doing good is part of our DNA,’’ said Mehran in response.
Michael Franti and the Do Good Fest crowd
This year’s Do Good Fest pushed volunteers to the limit. Crowds poured into the main entrance as cars backed up on National Life Drive, waiting to purchase parking passes. In fact, so many people showed that for the first time ever, Do Good Fest was deemed a “sold out” show.
The main gate opened at around 2:30 pm giving way to our kids activities, non-profit village, delectable food, and beer gardens. At 4:00 pm Sound Brother took the stage and immediately had people jamming along to their music. Syd, Hailey Knox and Noah Kahan followed before Mehran introduced our headliner, Michael Franti and Spearhead.
More than 100 National Life volunteers made the festival possible.
They worked hard. Ross Sneyd, who oversees the festival with Tim Shea, walked 26 miles on Saturday.
“Ross and Tim were everywhere, dealing with everything that came up,” said Mehran.
By The Numbers
- $185,000 raised over the past six years for Branches of Hope, the cancer patient fund at Central Vermont Medical Center;
- $50,000 raised from parking proceeds and merchandise this year;
- 10,000 attendees on our lawn, our largest attendance ever and the first time we’ve hit capacity;
- 100 National Life volunteers working behind the scenes to make sure the festival ran smoothly;
- 34 community organizations took part in our nonprofit village;
- 13 of Vermont’s most delicious food trucks were on-site, and;
- 5 talented musical acts hit the stage, headlined by none other than Michael Franti and Spearhead.