Stormy Mountain Brewing, Waterdog hold McFadden benefit

Waterdog performed at Stormy Mountain Brewing in downtown Chelan last Saturday in a fundraiser for the Pat McFadden family of Bridgeport who lost their home in a house fire in early January. Pictured from left are Shaggy Freeman, guitar, Cathy Morehead, vocals, an unidentified audience member helping belt out “Louie, Louie”, Denny Gilfillan on bass in the background, and Steve Barone, guitar. Not pictured but also playing are Cary Ordway on keyboard and Greg Wright on drums.

Posted Thursday, February 22, 2018 12:03 pm

Mike Maltais

CHELAN – Stormy Mountain Brewing was rockin’ last Saturday as the barbecue restaurant and local ale vendor teamed up with popular Wenatchee band, Waterdog, in a fundraiser for a Bridgeport family recently struck by tragedy.
The musical benefit raised funds and donations for the family of Pat McFadden, Taralee Martin and eight-year-old Tommy Martin who lost their Bridgeport Bar home to a house fire on Jan. 5. McFadden and young Martin suffered serious burns while escaping the flames and underwent treatment at Harborview Hospital in Seattle. Tommy Martin has since been released and McFadden is for release as early as the weekend of Feb. 24-25.
Garth Donald, one of Stormy Mountain’s owners, estimates the fundraiser cleared about $2,000 for the McFadden family.
Waterdog spokesperson Cathy Morehead said that included in the donations was a room full of furniture from the Senior Center and $200 from Habitat for Humanity. Stormy Mountain Brewing and Local Myth Pizza kicked in matching contributions of $300. Morehead said Chelan Valley Hope (CVH) will tally up the final results and cut a check for the proceeds.
Stormy Mountain Brewing is in its third year of business and as part of its community outreach is trying to host monthly benefit events. Donald said he regularly confers with Morehead about which cause to spotlight next.
“We focus on kids and family,” said Morehead, a CVH case manager for the homeless.
The partnership has produced three benefits so far. The first was for a local couple who sustained losses in Hurricane Harvey on the Texas Gulf Coast last August; the second was for CVH; the third for the McFadden family.
“I’m very proud of the guys in the band for doing this,” said Morehead who cited the musical group’s volunteerism.
Waterdog has been performing together since about 2005 and includes Morehead on vocals, Greg Wright on drums, Denny Gilfillan on bass, Shaggy Freeman and Steve Barone on guitar, and Cary Ordway on keyboard.
The group will be back at Stormy Mountain on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, and at the Apple Blossom Festival, April 30. As it has done for the past nine years, Waterdog will perform at the Woodstock Anniversary concern Aug. 25, to benefit CVN.
For more information and a Waterdog performance schedule visit its website at waterdogunleashed.com.
Other upcoming fundraisers for the McFadden family include a spaghetti feed from 3-5 p.m. Sat. Feb. 24, at the American Legion Columbia Post 97, and a dinner and silent auction from 4-7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 27, at Bridgeport High School. Donations can also be made to the McFadden Account (122707) at Coulee Dam Federal Credit Union.