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For the last three years, the Rockin’ 4 Heroes free benefit concert in James D. Kreigh Park has been so popular that founders Bonnie and Michael Quinn now have to consider the possibility of moving the event to a larger venue in the future.
More than a great outdoor concert – last year featured the 11-member Leonid and Friends Chicago cover band playing with 10 string members of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra – this unique benefit serves a core mission of saying “THANK YOU!” to our everyday heroes:
The event also magically ties together several other ends:
Bonnie and Michael’s son P.J. fought bravely until bone cancer tragically took his life in July 2020. In his last year, the disease attacked his brain. “He was regularly experiencing seizures,” Bonnie recalls, “and we had to call Golder Ranch Fire and OVPD to come help to stabilize and transport him to the hospital almost weekly.
“We came to truly appreciate their service, professionalism and compassion. After PJ passed, it was heavy on our hearts to express our gratitude to these individuals.”
The EMTs – including one of P.J.’s high school classmates, GRFD Captain Brandon Daily – loved to joke around with P.J. Bonnie and her husband Michael – a Navy veteran – were determined to give back to these selfless heroes who would come to their house whenever they were needed, and who always put P.J. at ease.
At first, Bonnnie planned to bake some cookies to take to the various police and fire departments. But things snowballed (to say the least!).
From the moment she and her husband began to see the need to pay tribute to real-life heroes, the number of groups that they honor and that have come to participate in Rockin’ 4 Heroes has snowballed into a massive event, including:
Law Enforcement: (departments that previously participated but were not able to attend this past year: Border Patrol, Cochise County Sheriff, and Pinal County Sheriff)
Fire Departments:
Many departments expressed an interest in participating at Rockin’4 Heroes, but had staffing issues on the day of the event and could not staff a booth. Those that were able to attend with booths and/or firetrucks last year:
Military/Veterans:
Bonnie and her husband were interested in having Leonid and Friends — a spectacular Chicago band they had seen in Phoenix — play at the inaugural event. “We didn’t even know what that meant,” recalls Bonnie with a laugh. “Are we having a party at our house?”
But with the assistance of their new friend Steve Rokowski, a former Up With People event producer and career Event Planner, the concert blossomed quickly into something much bigger.
The first concert in 2021 came on the heels of Covid-19 lockdowns, with 700 attendees at James D. Kreigh Park.
“We immediately saw that people were happy to be out and about, but also people were grateful to have the opportunity to express their appreciation for these groups. Most of us take for granted that these people are going to come when we call, or fight to protect our freedoms. We believed – and were proven correct – that many people wanted to participate in this giant thank you!”
Bonnie and Michael created the Rockin’ 4 Heroes non-profit organization, and the concert has been gaining popularity ever since:
An important tribute at the official ceremony at the beginning of the concert is the “Hero Line”, where representatives of the various groups honored stand up on stage in uniform.
Last year, an all-female group of combat veterans from Women Warriors presented the colors, jets from David-Monthan Air Force Base did a flyover immediately following the National Anthem, two WWII veterans were honored, and fallen Golder Ranch Fire Captain Randall Watts’ family was presented with a custom embroidered Honor and Sacrifice flag.
This year, veterans of the Korean War and Vietnam War – and many other heroes — will be honored.
The “Heroes Highway” is where each military/first responder group sets up a booth and interacts with the public – especially the children. “They offer goodies with the name of their department, face painting, and games for kids like the cornhole competition,” Bonnie explains.
All along the Heroes Highway, young people can be seen interacting with these
men and women in uniform. As such, reaching the younger people has become part of the Rockin’ 4 Heroes mission.
EMT Jacob Dindinger, a graduate of Canyon del Oro High School and the Pima Community College EMT program, tragically lost his life due to a fatal gunshot wound received during an emergency call on July 18, 2021.
The Scholarship honors Jacob — an EMT working toward becoming a firefighter — by paying tuition for promising students who wish to pursue a career in firefighting through EMT training and certification at Pima Community College’s Public Safety Program.
Bonnie recalls when Fire Captain Daily came up to her at the event and said:
“I know you may not remember, but I graduated from Ironwood Ridge with P.J., and I was at your home many times as a paramedic stabilizing P.J. and transporting him to the hospital. I was there the day he passed, and I never really got over that. And to be here, and to see how you’ve taken the loss of your son and created this event, I just want to thank you, because it has also helped me process that loss.”
Bonnie, her husband, and Captain Daily all cried together. “It was a God moment,” says Bonnie. “I don’t know how else to explain it.”
Last year’s event featured 10 local food trucks and booths, including popular local :
This year’s concert will include two 50/50 cash raffles, in which half of the take goes to one lucky winner. Raffle drawings will take place at the beginning and end of the concert. (Some of the past winners generously chose to donate the pot back to the non-profit.)
There will also be a live auction, featuring an e-bike, a Williams AZ vacation stay at a working ranch, and two Fender Stratocaster guitars custom made especially for Rockin’ 4 Heroes.
All proceeds go to the Hero Fund.
American Furniture Warehouse, with a new location in Marana, will be this year’s Title Sponsor. HSL Properties of Tucson has been an ongoing supporter of Rockin’ 4 Heroes from its inception and comes on board this year as the Entertainment Sponsor. Other local business sponsors such as La Posada at Pusch Ridge, The Keg Steakhouse, Goettl Plumbing and others continue to support the mission behind this event.
Pima County Attractions & Tourism awarded a 2-year grant to Rockin’ 4 Heroes.
The organization also greatly appreciates all donations from individuals who wish to support the non-profit.
The best way to show your support is to come to this year’s event, which will be held on Veterans Day weekend (Sunday, November 10) at James D. Kreigh Park. There will be many opportunities to contribute to the cause there, including raffle ticket purchases, the live auctions, beer sales (donated by Finley Distributing), and Rockin’ 4 Heroes merchandise sales.
The local Country & Western favorite Mark Miller Band will perform, followed by 80’s cover sensation the Lexington Lab Band (from Lexington, KY).
Rockin’ 4 Heroes will be a rare live performance for the Lexington musicians, who have gained a huge fan base of 200,000 subscribers on their YouTube channel, but traditionally are not a touring band. This will be a rare opportunity for fans of the band to see them in concert.
While admission is free, attendees are encouraged to register at Rockin 4 Heroes for an e-ticket and chance to win an entry prize. Pre-registrations help Rockin’ 4 Heroes ensure that there are ample services to support the anticipated crowd size and provide a top-notch concert experience for all.
Tax-deductible donations to Rockin’ 4 Heroes are always welcome through their website. All net proceeds post-event are placed in the Hero Fund. They are subsequently distributed to programs and initiatives that continue to support heroes long after the concert, including the brand new EMT scholarship endowment at Pima Community College.
The foundation and its committees are 100% volunteers, and with extremely low operating costs, 98% or more of all money raised supports our heroes.
The following all-volunteer cohort is responsible for bringing this magical, once-a-year tribute to our community:
Executive Committee
Event committee members
