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rukus proudly presents
port city rock jam
Our charities

When the idea of Port City Rock Jam began, the conversation among the members of RuKus went a little like this….. “Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could throw a music festival that would bring a bunch of great local bands together?”  Of course everyone agreed and then the next question was; “Do we want it to be for profit or to benefit the community?”  It was a unanimous decision to make the festival  a charity event.  We chose the following two local non-profit organizations because we believe in the work they are doing for our local community. So that is our mission; to have a great music event that gives back to the non-profits below!

Proceeds from PCRJ Benefit

cape fear river watch

Cape Fear River Watch is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that was founded in 1993. Founders Bouty Baldridge and Bruce Watkins envisioned a permanent nonprofit organization, open to everyone, and dedicated to the improvement and preservation of the health, beauty, cleanliness, and heritage of the Cape Fear River basin. We strive to honor their vision.

Our mission is to protect and improve the water quality of the Cape Fear River Basin for all people through education, advocacy and action.

Working with our partners, we have a history of proven success in protecting our watershed.   We have been instrumental in requiring Duke Energy to clean up power plant coal ash.  We dissuaded Titan America from building a potentially significant pollution source in the form of a cement plant along the banks of the Cape Fear River.

We are the region’s go-to source for information, advocacy and legal action related to GenX and other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) discharged into the environment from a DuPont/Chemours facility located in Fayetteville, NC.  In February 2019, our lawsuits culminated in a signed Consent Order between CFRW, the NC Department of Environmental Quality and Chemours which will drastically reduce the release of PFAS into our environment.

Additionally, CFRW plays a key coordination role in the Cape Fear River Partnership which is focused on fisheries restoration in the Cape Fear River.

We offer multiple opportunities for citizen engagement through our citizen science Creekwatchers program, monthly seminars, paddles and clean-ups.  We provide education to both children and adults through eco-tours and summer camps.  We also manage the Greenfield Lake boathouse at a Wilmington city park, which gives the community access to the lake on paddle boats, kayaks and canoes.

CFRW is an active member of the worldwide Waterkeeper Alliance, the world’s largest and fastest growing nonprofit solely focused on clean water.  Our full time RiverKeeper®, Kemp Burdette was recently recognized by the alliance as a “Waterkeeper Warrior as an individuals that has fought and won some of the most significant clean water battles of the past 20 years.

 

We are a nonprofit that takes in new and used instruments, and we clean them up to donate to kids.

Proceeds from PCRJ Benefit

Play It Forward Wilmington

Since 2015 I had been finding used drum sets at fair prices, or for free, and cleaning them up a bit to donate them to new homes. The main idea was to get these drum kits to kids, or really anyone who is interested in learning to play.
Fast forward to 2020, and going through the Pandemic, I was able to connect with others on this idea, and with their help, we were able to donate 10 used drum sets to new homes. After the success of this, we came up with a holiday new Instrument program called, Play It Forward Wilmington. The purpose of this was to raise money to buy brand new instruments for kids at Christmas. This also went over very well.
Going into 2021, we’re going to keep things moving under the Play It Forward Wilmington name, and continue the used instrument program concept. We are now going to expand the idea and we’re open to any used instruments.
So if you, or anyone you know, has anything music related laying around and you’re willing to donate it, or let go at a fair price, please contact us. We can clean them up and find a new home for them of some future rockers. Thank you all.