Thanksgiving is on the horizon, and Bonnie and Michael Quinn are leading a force of friends and volunteers in giving thanks to local first responders with the 5th Annual Rockin’ 4 Heroes Concert at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 9, at James Kriegh Park, 23 W. Calle Concordia in Oro Valley.
“The free concert may be the draw, but once you get there, that is when you understand why you are there and what it is really about ... there is such a positive vibe and feeling of celebration and respect that people get swept up, and our goal is for people to leave with a newfound sense of awareness and gratitude for the people who serve us,” said Bonnie Quinn.
The Quinns gained eternal appreciation for EMTs and other first responders who helped their late son, PJ Quinn, who succumbed to cancer in 2020.
“We never imagined that one of our children would predecease us, and this mission was born out of grief and gratitude,” said Bonnie Quinn. “We had to go through the grieving process for our hearts to open enough to say, ‘thank you’ for our son. We also never envisioned a concert until the right people came into our lives who had the capability to do that.”
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The group of volunteers includes Steve Rakowski and a large contingent of alumni from Up with People, the international nonprofit founded in Tucson that was known for musical performances and community service.
“The concert is a real ‘community unity’ kind of thing that pulls people in,” Bonnie Quinn said. “Initially we thought, ‘Let’s bake cookies, and take them to the paramedics and police officers’ ... but then we realized it needed to be bigger and lots of things fell into place to make it possible for people to come together to be part of this thank you.”
The event has grown exponentially: Last year, about 3,000 people attended the free concert, which also includes food and beverage trucks; a wide range of family activities; the presentation of Community Hero Awards to local veterans and first responders; and booths representing more than 20 local and regional first responders, veterans and military organizations.
The entire event has become a means through which to support first responders, including EMTs, firefighters, law enforcement, and the military and veterans.
“The concert is a public tribute but we want to make an impact long after the music ends. We are looking for ways to impact our heroes after the concert is over,” said Bonnie Quinn.
Net proceeds from the event — including funds raised from the raffle and live auction and 100 percent of beer sales courtesy of Finley Distributing — benefit the Hero Fund, which powers programs such as the Rockin’ 4 Heroes Jacob Dindinger Memorial EMT Scholarship at Pima Community College. The scholarship has enabled two EMTs to earn certifications tuition-free and begin serving the community.
“It will fund two EMT scholarships every year, so Jacob Dindinger is forever memorialized,” Bonnie Quinn said. “Our newest scholarship is the $50,000 Rockin’ 4 Heroes Student Veteran Endowment Scholarship at the University of Arizona. Veteran students returning on the GI Bill or Goldstar family members can apply for assistance to fill the gaps where the GI Bill doesn’t meet all financial needs to return to college.”
The Veterans Student Scholarship is currently funding pass-through scholarships of $5,000 each; additionally, the Hero Fund provides educational stipends to Oro Valley Police Department officers pursuing advanced training and professional development.
“Hero Fund Scholarships carry our mission forward and it is a win-win for everyone involved,” said Bonnie Quinn. “Whether they are a hero, a sponsor, an attendee or a volunteer, there are so many ways this concert impacts people. We didn’t realize going into this that it would be so far-reaching. It is not just a thank you to our heroes, but a way for lots of people to be involved and feel that sense of contribution.”
You can find more information about volunteering https://rockin4heroes.org/ or to make a donation.
