Thank you Abbas Jahangiri!

"When words no longer express, music starts," wrote Abbas Jahangiri, former owner of the el Mocambo, 12 years ago.

Jahangiri purchased the elMo in 2001 and renovated both floors of Toronto's oldest and most historic music venue to prepare for a wide range of musical acts. 

EDOYR's ticket booth at Rock for Charity 2.0 at the el Mocambo in Toronto.

The elMo also became the number one booker for charity events and fund raisers, including EDOYR's very own Rock for Charity and Rock for Charity 2.0, concerts where all proceeds benefited our organization. With both of these benefit concerts, EDOYR raised over $4,000.00.

Other organizations like War Child, Amnesty International, Free the Children and World Vision have held fund raisers at the Spadina Ave. and College St. location. 

Jahangiri is also the founder of Serving Charity, a non-profit, charitable organization that has opened orphanages, women's shelters, Soup Kitchens, family homes schools and several other projects in eight countries around the world.

It was on July 25 that the former owner of the elMo e-mailed all his musical and charitable contacts to say he was closing this chapter of his life to start a new one: A life fully dedicated to Serving Charity.

Like its former owner, the elMo has also turned over a new leaf. The venue will remain open and all shows will continue, just this time under new ownership.

EDOYR thanks the el Mocambo and Abbas Jahangiri for their hospitality, willingness and support. With Rock for Charity and Rock for Charity 2.0, both held at the historic Toronto venue, we have been able to continue to provide support for people struggling with eating disorders as well as for their families and friends.

We wish Jahangiri all the best in his future endeavors. It was great working with you!

-- Leviana Coccia

Friends of EDOYR host second Rock for Charity event at the El Mocambo

On the way down to the El Mocambo on Thurs. June 21, the event organizers found this in the sky: Some inspiration! Photo by: Natalia Tvoronovitch

Doors opened at Rock for Charity 2.0 at 7pm. Photo by: Natalia Tvoronovitch

Rae Smith is a university student who started "The Love Yourself Challenge," a blog initiative that spreads self-awareness. On the blog, she posts these culture jamming images above, as well as others. She gave EDOYR permission to use these images at Rock for Charity 2.0. Thanks for being such a great friend-raiser, Rae! Photo by: Natalia Tvoronovitch

Our booth! For less than what it would cost to see a movie, guests were admitted into an awesome event with bands from all across the Greater Toronto Area. Photo by: Natalia Tvoronovitch

And the preparation for Rock for Charity 2.0 begins! Photo by: Natalia Tvoronovitch

Sound check! Photo by: Natalia Tvoronovitch

House of Coconuts opens the show and gets the party started! Photo by: Natalia Tvoronovitch

The El Mo gets loud with TNG on Thurs. Photo by: Natalia Tvoronovitch

Ravyn Red performs their original song, "My Time" among others. Photo by: Natalia Tvoronovitch

Inside the El Mo! Photo by: Natalia Tvoronovitch

Couriers take the stage after a quick intermission and rock the El Mo! Photo by: Natalia Tvoronovitch

Highway Lights performs their original track, "Run With Me" among others at the El Mo. Photo by: Natalia Tvoronovitch

Outside Toronto's most famous and historic venue. Photo by: Natalia Tvoronovitch

Eric Conlon plays hits by his band, Lambs Become Lions. Contact EDOYR at info@edoyr.com if you'd like a CD with a donation of five-dollars or more. Photo by: Natalia Tvoronovitch

Also with a five-dollar donation, you can pick up juggling balls, symbols of the challenges and opportunities in life. Photo by: Leviana Coccia

Members of the band Couriers show us their juggling skills. Photo by: Leviana Coccia

Jer Schell of Four Nines Fine, one of the bands scheduled to play at Rock for Charity 2.0 who were unable to due to an emergency, won our 50/50 event draw. He donated all the money to EDOYR. Thanks Jer! Photo by: Leviana Coccia

In January, EDOYR hosted our very first Rock for Charity. Here, Natalia, Administrative Assistant, signed the famous walls of the El Mocmbo. Photo by: Leviana Coccia

Four Nines Fine left their mark in January, too. Even though the band couldn't perform on Thurs., we still kept the band in our thoughts all throughout the night. Photo by: Leviana Coccia

Highway Lights performs the acoustic version of their newest track in studio

On June 4, 2012, Highway Lights came into the Eating Disorders of York Region studio to perform, for the very first time, an acoustic version of their newly released track, "Run With Me."

Highway Lights will be featured at Rock for Charity 2.0, a concert where all proceeds will benefit EDOYR. Six other bands will also be performing.

Check out the Facebook event page for more information (and don't forget to RSVP "YES!").

Follow the event on Twitter.

Have questions? E-mail info@edoyr.com.

EDOYR at the Aurora Chamber Street Festival

On Sunday, June 3, you'll be able to find EDOYR at the Aurora Chamber Street Festival!

We'll be offering information brochures and resources. We'll also be hosting a "Make Your Own Friendship Bracelet" station, where people of all ages are welcome to make their own bracelet and become a part of our Circle of Friends.

Photo by: moiracrochetsplarn.
 Please note, these friendship bracelets are simply an example of what you could make
on June 3 at the Aurora Chamber Street Festival.

As you may have read in an earlier post on our Circle of Friends, the "Friend Raising" campaign was established to help raise awareness and funds so EDOYR can continue to provide support for people suffering from eating disorders or disordered eating as well as for their families and friends. 

Click here for an example of a "Friend Raising" event I planned in January. The second event in this series will take place on June 21.

When friends come together to embark on any given initiative, the encouragement and support they provide one another is inexplicable. We see this first hand at many of the fundraising events hosted not only by [EDOYR], but by the friends we have gained over the years. We are hoping to take this idea one step further! With the help of even just one friend, EDOYR is able to make great strides. If that one friend were to encourage their circle of friends, not only would this increase awareness around eating disorders but lessen the stigma as well. Everyone knows someone who in some way, shape or form, is affected by an Eating Disorder. We need to come together, to empower one another and add that human touch to relationships that is often left behind.

 Nisha Thomas, a former EDOYR placement student, wrote the above when initially describing "Friend Raising" for our blog.  

"Friend Raising" also teaches members of the community how to be a friend to someone suffering from a mental illness.

Thomas went on to explain that a Circle of Friends would include groups of friends coming together to arrange events within their local community to raise money. All proceeds would then, in turn, go towards EDOYR.

A Circle of Friends could also include ongoing online donations of any amount per month. Should one person make a donation each month and then encourage four of their friends to do so as well, this monthly contribution from your Circle of Friends will not only increase with the more people who donate, but so will eating disorder awareness.

Be sure to visit us at the Aurora Chamber Street Festival to make your own friendship bracelet and learn more about how you can become a part of our Circle of Friends.

Rock for Charity 2.0 at the El Mocambo - June 21!

Did you have fun at Rock for Charity in January? If you did, then you should come to the second benefit concert in the series at the El Mocambo. You should also bring all your friends. Don't worry, even if you missed out on the first one, you and your friends are invited, too.

Here is your chance to rock out for charity!

As it also happens, June 21 is the second day of summer. What is a better way to celebrate than at the famous and historic El Mocambo with friends dancing the night away?

The concert is volunteer run and will benefit EDOYR. We will also be collecting canned food donations for El Mocambo's Serving Charity.

RSVP online today!

Thanks in advance for all your support and great effort! We are really excited to see this event raise even more than our first concert did. The record we hope to break: $2,814.00. Can we do it? With your help, of course we can!

Tickets can be purchased at the door for $10 OR $8 with a canned food item!

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FEATURING:

FOUR NINES FINE

HIGHWAY LIGHTS

RAVYN RED

COURIERS

TNG

ERIC CONLON of LAMBS BECOME LIONS

HOUSE OF COCONUTS