Generosity, not virtuosity

COEUR d'ALENE — Joyful music could be heard Monday over blustering wind and nonstop rainfall.

It came from the Art Spirit Gallery, where Dr. Ben Perschau sat next to a red bucket and strummed his acoustic guitar to the sound of the rain.

Perschau, of Coeur d'Alene, has contributed his musical talents to Street Music Week since it came to Coeur d'Alene 10 years ago.

"One of my nursing buddies in the ER there was doing it in Spokane and he was like, 'We need someone to do it in Coeur d'Alene,' and I was like, 'Sure, I'll help out,'" Perschau said. "It's been fun. This is the only day I can do it, so I had to come down and play a little bit."

Street Music Week was founded by Doug Clark in 2003 as a way to raise money for Second Harvest Food Bank and feed families in need. Street musicians, or "buskers," serenade and play for passersby in hopes of a few bills or coins to fill their red buckets. The proceeds support families in Spokane and Idaho's five northern counties. Every dollar donated buys five meals for those in need.

Since its inception, Street Music Week has raised $290,000 to support the food bank and provided about 1.4 million meals.

Perschau, who plays acoustic, folksy songs, admitted he's not the most prolific guitar player.

"I'm not that great, but the slogan is that it's about generosity, not virtuosity," he said with a smile. "That's a great slogan, because that's what it's about. I've always been a supporter of our community and I've always done whatever I can to help the community."

Inside the Art Spirit, out of the rain, Gil Ward sang lyrics to a song he wrote just for this year's Street Music Week.

"Well, our bucket's got a hole in it, if you want to put some money in it, you'll feel good and glad you did it, it will bring a smile to your face," he sang, eyes twinkling. "We take bills or even pocket change, it doesn't matter, it all spends the same. We're raising money for the Harvest food bank and to all of you we say thanks!"

Ward, a bluegrass player, said he loves making people happy.

"If I'm going to leave a legacy when I leave this world, it's going to be, 'He had a song in his heart and he liked to make people happy,'" he said.

His message to the community this week is, "Get involved."

"It's raining outside, but I would let them soak me with a fire hose if people would come down and just get involved in what's going on," he said. "It's a great cause. If somebody has ever gone hungry, or seen a kid hungry, then they need to be involved in this and they need to donate. Right now, there's all kinds of bad stuff in the world. This is something good."

Jenny Wayman, musician coordinator for Coeur d'Alene, said anyone of any age can participate. Musicians just need to swing by the Art Spirit, 415 Sherman Ave., take a red collection bucket and find a place to play. Wayman will be on site with buckets each day at 11:30 a.m. Musicians will play from noon to 1 p.m. and return the buckets and donations to Wayman.

"They'll get a busking pin, which makes them legit," she said.

She said the fundraising goal this year is $300,000.

"It's just such a fun community event," she said. "It's such a cool, visible community give back. Anybody who wants to do entertaining can just pick a corner."

Info: 2-harvest.org/streetmusicweek