May is Mental Health Awareness Month and a Portland-based nonprofit has a challenge for people who express themselves through sound.
The first annual “Noise-A-Thon ” is a monthlong pledge drive similar to a walkathon, but participants pledge to practice their chosen form of noise instead of walking miles. Studies have shown that actively creating music can boost mental health in many ways — from pain reduction to motor development — and you don’t need to be a professional performer to reap the rewards.
Noise-A-Thon benefits Brett’s Bass Fund , an organization honoring the memory of the late Portland bass player, Brett Rothfeld , by providing scholarships, lessons, and instruments to aspiring bass players who lack support or resources.
To participate in Noise-A-Thon, all you need to do is register (either as a group or individually), gather pledges, and practice your music for 15 minutes each day throughout the month of May. Don’t hold back — toot your own horn.