Rex Foundation

Joel Stern

I climbed on the bus and began touring with the Grateful Dead in the mid 70’s. For the next 20 years I took a lot from the scene and gave back only a little. In 1996 I was told that a pancreatic disease would take me before the year was out. 11 years later I am still going strong. With my 2^nd life I decided it was time to give back a lot and take only a little. I am healthiest and happiest working at a music festival. It was a natural extension for me to pick a cause associated with our lifestyle and values. What better choice than the Dead’s own creation, the Rex Foundation. Over the past couple of years I have had a blast being involved with Rex. I try to hold fund raising auctions, I give out flyers, and attend benefits. I have made many friends and feel a purpose in my life. I hope to become more involved with Rex as time and my health allows. Rex is more than a charitable institution. It is an extension of the caring, giving, family of intrepid travelers that I first met in 1977. – Joel C. "Q" Stern

Lorne Abramson

I became familiar with the Rex Foundation’s mission and good work as a result of watching a BBC TV documentary on the organization several years ago. The production literally brought me tears of joy – especially the profiles of avant-garde composers supported by Rex, who otherwise may never have been noticed by more mainstream/traditional grant-makers.

My continued support of Rex to this day was also inspired by another event. As a long-time Deadhead and Bay Area resident, I was at Jerry Garcia’s memorial service in Golden Gate Park. I was particularly taken by Mickey Hart’s words on that day: "Well, if the Grateful Dead had been anything, it gave you the power. You have it now. You have the groove, you have the feeling. We've been working on it for almost thirty years now. So what are you going to do with it? That's the question, okay?”

In addition to the music and surviving band members, the Rex Foundation remains a living and breathing legacy of the Grateful Dead. For me personally, it is an excellent way to maintain, in Mickey’s words, the power, groove and feeling of what the Grateful Dead will always represent.

Lorne Abramson
Principal, ELM Advisors, LLC
Burlingame, CA

Al Futransky

I originally got involved with the Rex Foundation because I was (am) a Deadhead and had been reading about benefits they were doing for the Rex Foundation.

I ran across a few articles in various publications (Relix, Golden Road, etc) that talked about the foundation. It was basically a trust that the Grateful Dead would not be involved in some sort of shaky, seedy group that led me to contribute.

After that I began to receive mailings from the Rex Foundation which verified what I felt from the beginning. This is a group doing the type of work I want to be a part of. I agree with the philosophy of donations to grass root organizations that provide services directly to people. I work with an at-risk population of students, and appreciate anyone who tries to help people in similar situations. Rex seems to find groups that do this.

People should get involved with the Rex Foundation because it is the type of organization one can be proud to be associated with.

Al Futransky, Mount Vernon, Illinois