Submitted by Charlie McCormick
1st Annual Rock Out
The Christopher Brandle Joy of Life Foundation served up one of the most memorable fundraisers in Oakland with a simple recipe: good food, good music, good fun, good people. The recipe was simple, but it took a lot of hands, a lot of planning, and a lot of hard work to bring Oakland a fundraiser that transcended it’s simplicity.
The food was basic burgers and dogs dished out by the Knights of Columbus working the grill, the cookies were homemade, the games of chance and skill might well have entertained Tom Sawyer & Huck Finn well over a century ago….and something about it all made The Rock Out in Oakland timeless, something special, with over a thousand people taking part in an event that raised over $20,000 for pediatric brain cancer research and support.
Mary & Brian Brandle
Promoted as Rock Out, it’s appropriate to mention the music first. With James Brown no longer on the circuit, Steve Brown and The Fall Out undoubtedly can assume the mantle as the hardest working band in show business. They performed in the heat of the Indian summer till darkness descended, the lights came on, the tables were being taken down, and the crowd still calling for just one more song. Their portfolio of music seemed endless, and offered songs for multiple generations raised on classic American rock. It would not have been a Rock Out without them, and their music stretched across the fields to pull together all the different activities.
Video Collage
The tables spread across the fields offered entertainment to children of all ages, and children of all ages were busy working as well as playing; this added to the festival’s special atmosphere. While the adult volunteers were innumerable, there were Oakland kids of all ages taking ownership of tables, activities, and helping to run the show. The 1st annual Rock Out in Oakland provided an opportunity for Oakland kids to act as equal partners in making the event a success.
Slide Show
The number of attendees was unexpected, and people soon were having their hands stamped after the supply of bright green wristbands were exhausted. When food ran short volunteers made one, two, three runs to get more. At a charitable fundraiser it would not be unexpected for folks to find the cupboard bare – after all, it is a charitable event. But at a family event, you can’t send people home hungry, and this was another element that made the day special: it felt like a grand family reunion inside a giant backyard.
Steve Brown & The Fall Out
The volunteer staff working the event ranged from pre-teen school children to retired folks in their seventies, a difference of 60 years between some, but a unity in purpose that easily bridged that generational gap. The same unity and diversity was evident in the sponsors whose donations and support were invaluable. While Steve Brown & The Fall Out was center stage with providing the music, Inserra owned Shoprite was a major sponsor in providing food, and Prestige Party Rental provided the tent for the band.
Brian and Mary Brandle, who founded the Christopher Brandle Joy of Life Foundation, exclaimed, “We’re ecstatic and can’t wait to start planning our next Rock Out.”
An event in Oakland is not complete without The Oakland Volunteer Fire Department, The Volunteer First Aid Squad, The Bergen County Sheriff’s Department, and the Oakland Police Department; behind the scenes was the support of the Oakland Department of Public Works.
Below is a partial list of sponsors involved in the event
94 West Salon
Abbey Ice and Spring Water –
Allendale Glen Estates LLC
Beverly Hills Hand Car Wash
Café L’Amore
Care One at the Cupola
Check M Out Security Services
Cicero Designs
Diamond Construction Co.
HomeCare 24-7
Inserra Supermarkets
J. Fletcher Creamer and Sons
Jersey Commercial Carpet
Knights of Columbus
Mahwah Automotive Center
Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce
Oakland PBA Local 164
Party Fair
Prestige Party Rental
Rockland Electric Company
The Shauger Group
Stop and Shop
WCBS Radio
The Fiorina Family
The Tynes Family
Dave and Sarah Adelson
Harry and Jane Mansmann
Stephen Orenchuk
The Brandles would also like to thank Dan Logatto of Drew Rogers, and the town of Oakland for their support.
It was an honor to be a guest at Rock Out! The LOVE that was put into all the planning and execution of the event was clearly evident.
It was an honor to be part of this awesome event…. Thank you so much Oakland Journal for such a wonderful article. Thank you so much to the “many” volunteers who helped to make this day a success!!! What a awesome town we live in. A great time was had by all!!!
What a truly amazing display of community support and teamwork for a great cause and in honor of a very special boy! I am so proud to live in Oakland, a town that rallies behind each other and really cares for one another. And generous to boot … $20,000!! Wow. Congratulations to the Brandle Family and to ALL involved. What an awesome day; you rock!