Progressive Veterans Art and Music Fundraiser

Caring for Our Veterans

And Our Communities


Who: Members and supporters of Progressive Veterans
What: Progressive Veterans Art and Music Fundraiser
When: Sunday, August 30, 2009 at noon ($5 cover charge)
Where: Flobots.org / Fight with Tools Office, 2705 Larimer, Denver, CO and The Meadowlark Bar, 2701 Larimer, Denver, CO
Who: Featured Artists: Sharon Healy, Damon Willard, Create-CSH, Kim Sidwell, Keith Goble, Jessica Jenkins and more.
Featured Musicians: Jeremy & Joe, Sever Truth, Wheelchair Sports Camp, Mute:Man's:Microphone, Sofo, Dirt Circle Dogs, Fulcrum, and Disaffected.


With increasing numbers of veterans returning from their service, and with the Veterans’ Administration operating severely beyond it's capacity, it was clear to Dan Conerd that someone needed to step up and extend support to all veterans. In February this year, with the help of fellow veterans and friends, Conerd began cultivating what is now Progressive Veterans (ProVets). ProVets will hold their fundraising event on August 30, 2009.

ProVets is a community-based organization that proactively supports all soldiers and veterans from all eras and conflicts. Its core purpose is to support deployed soldiers with care packages, to aid in the reintegration of soldiers returning from deployment, and to advocate for homeless veterans by hosting seasonal food, clothing, and heath drives. It aims to educate and to bring together the people of Denver as a community-wide effort.

The organization believes that all people deserve food, shelter, and security and that everyone is entitled to education, freedom, and employment. ProVets members are acutely aware that unjust military aggression, and the budgets that fund it, impede the ability of communities and governments to uphold these basic rights. We are therefore adamantly opposed to unjust military aggression and insist that military forces and governments abide by high ethical standards.

ProVets is proud to host its August 30th event with some of Denver’s most talented artists and musicians in an effort to bring the Denver community together. “I know this will be an amazing show. So many people want to reach out and help veterans and deployed soldiers and we hope to give people the tools they need to do that,” says Conerd.

ProVets had a very successful booth at the Warped Tour this month and engaged people of all ages and interests in its cause. With growing interest, the organization hopes to grow and establish a higher presence in the community.

After the show, ProVets will continue their ongoing care package project. Jessica Leebelt, co-founder says, “As long as we have soldiers serving overseas, we’ll keep sending a little piece of home to as many units as we can.”

With the support gained from the August 30th event, ProVets will continue its work toward providing resources to community members. Our first project is called “Nash Tent” wherein community resources will be organized to support low-income and homeless people, many of whom are veterans, in a centralized location offering the following free services: food, clothing, mental and physical healthcare screenings, and financial and employment assistance. “Outreach at this level can’t be done without huge community support. If people come to our show, chances are, they’ll want to help in some way with Nash Tent. We’re ready to have their help,” says Conerd.