#RockforHARK
On April 30th, Healing Arts Reaching Kids (HARK) is launching their inaugural Rock for HARK Charity event for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles featuring legendary rock group Three Dog Night at the historic Hollywood Roosevelt.
Three Dog Night Performing in Las Vegas, NV | 2016
Photo Courtesy of Three Dog Night
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is virtually a household name and of course, Three Dog Night is the iconic American pop/rock band with hits like “Joy to the World” and “Mama Told Me Not to Come” but it is HARK, the little engine that could, that will bring them together for this epic rock and roll party.
Three Dog Night Members
Left to right: Pat Bautz, David Morgan, Danny Hutton, Michael Allsup, Paul Kingery, Eddie Reasoner
Photo Courtesy of Three Dog Night | 2016
For over 10 years, Healing Arts Reaching Kids (HARK) has been offering the calming, joy-filled experience of the creative arts to the young patients at the award winning facility. The all-volunteer affiliate organization provides art supplies, hands-on art workshops, one-on-one art and music play, and other guided activities that foster creativity and allow kids to express themselves. When a child is hospitalized, coping withanxiety, fear and unfamiliar experiences can be overwhelming. Art, in its many forms, becomes an outlet for self-expression unlike any other therapy in the hospital.
Our workshops in the HBO are overflowing with human kindness. The volunteers show up regularly and work from 1-5 PM offering paint, pencils, brushes and encouragement. The workshops have become something for the children to do who are hospitalized. They are not able to run and play outside but they can paint! Often whole families will sit and paint together forgetting for a minute about illness and focusing on colors and imagination while sharing time together.
A Child Benefitting From Music Therapy
Photo Courtesy of Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Music Therapy in Action
Photo Courtesy of Children's Hospital Los Angeles
A Child Painting in Bed While Being Treated
Photo Courtesy of Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Not only does HARK fund these arts activities for the young patients and their families, they also provide critical financial support to the hospital’s Expressive Arts Therapy Program through which trained art and music therapists administer proven healing methods to thousands of patients annually.
Research demonstrates that these therapies have significant medical benefits, such as decreased stress and anxiety, lowered blood pressure, increased coping skills and self-awareness, minimized pain perception, among other effects.
Expressive Arts Therapy also offers non-clinical benefits that provide profound comfort to family members and siblings in need of support. Art transcends illness and connects children and adults through creative expression.
Other than having a great time and raising money for the hospital’s Expressive Arts Therapy Program, Rock for HARK also hopes to raise awareness about the importance of these therapies for the young patients.
“We hope to help people understand the amount of healing these therapies provide and also many people don’t realize that insurance does not cover Art and Music therapy for the kids,” explains Laurie.
Danny Hutton Mid-Performance
Photo Courtesy of Three Dog Night | 2016
For years, Danny Hutton, founder/lead singer of Three Dog Night, has actively supported his wife’s commitment to HARK and the kids at Children’s Hospital by donating art supplies and volunteering his time at the art shows and fund-raisers. This year Danny decided to help launch Rock for HARK by bringing Three Dog Night’s live performance to The Hollywood Roosevelt and donating a full concert to HARK.
“I am over the moon to have them play for our Rock for HARK event,” adds Laurie, “and I hope everyone knows what an awesome venue this is! We’ll be in the Blossom Ballroom at the Hollywood Roosevelt, where the first academy awards were held, and also having a fabulous champagne pre-concert party where patrons will be able to purchase the kids’ artwork.”For Danny it’s a simple equation:
“I think it’s a wonderful thing for the children;” he offers, “plus the people who attend the benefit concert will have fun and the proceeds will go to help the kids.”
Three Dog Night performs all over America throughout the year to sold out audiences who are excited to hear songs like “Black and White”, “Mama Told Me Not to Come”, “Shambala”, “One”, “Eli’s Coming and “Joy to the World“.
“There are 21 Top-40 hits and we only play our hits in concert” says Danny, “and even then there is not enough time to do them all!”
Three Dog Night band members Pat Bautz and Paul Kingery along with Dash and Tim Hutton have shared time at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles playing music for the children and their families.
“We are doing this for the kids,” says Dash, “and it feels really good to know you are making a difference."
We hope to see you at #RockforHARK, however, if you cannot attend our event your donations are welcome and will go to support the Expressive Arts Therapy Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Paul Kingery, Pat Bautz, Dash Hutton After Performing at Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Photo by Laurie Hutton | 2016
Little Girl Painting During a HARK Workshop
Photo by Susan Londener
