WJCU 88.7 FM and Auburn Records hosted a food drive for the Cleveland Foodbank and Friends of the Cleveland Kennel on December 23 at The Saw Concert Club in Cleveland, Ohio.

Fans attending the third annual Iron Ingo Cleveland Metal Holiday Food Drive were encouraged to bring canned or non-perishable foods to help those in need this holiday season. A donation was made from the Cleveland Metal Community to the Cleveland Foodbank and Friends of the Cleveland Kennel.

This year's donation totals were as follows: 2,159 lbs. of food collected (1,825 lbs. for the Cleveland Foodbank and 334 lbs. for the Friends of the Cleveland Kennel) and $872.76 of cash collected ($391.39 for the Cleveland Foodbank and $481.38 for the Friends of the Cleveland Kennel).

"The support from the Cleveland Metal Community is unprecedented and unbelieveably amazing!", says festival organizer, Auburn Records president and WJCU Metal On Metal host Bill Peters. "We completely shattered last year's totals, which were over triple the amount we had collected in 2009. I did not think it was possible, especially considering the difficult economic times we are still experiencing in this region. We've taken this event to a whole new level. Our food donations increased significantly by 72% and our cash donations increased by an astounding 310%! We filled two vans and three large containers at the Foodbank with food. Cash donations were received both at the concert and online from fans and radio listeners as far away as Germany and England. The club was at full capacity with close to 500 in attendance and the bar had record sales, selling completely out of alcohol by the end of the night! It was our biggest turnout yet.

"We have a very special heavy metal family here in Cleveland. It's about so much more than just the music. Heavy metal fans are the most generous when it comes to supporting good causes. We have seen them rise to the occasion to help those in need time and time again. They care deeply about their local community. I have dedicated my life to helping others and am very proud to be part of this scene for the past 30 years. Working together we have made a positive impact and difference with our food drives. Thank you so much to everyone involved in making this year's benefit such a major success."
“The Cleveland Foodbank is enormously grateful to everyone at WJCU and their many generous heavy metal fans for their generous support", says Anne Goodman, Cleveland Foodbank CEO. "Thousands of meals will be made possible for struggling families because of their contributions!”
"We want to thank Bill Peters and the Auburn team for putting this wonderful event together", says Dave Walchanowicz from the Friends of the Cleveland Kennel. "I know it took a lot of work, and it was truly a great event.

"Although we normally see the worst society has to offer, what we saw at this benefit concert was the best part of our society. The part that gives from the heart, and truly wants to help those in need. We want to thank all the fans in the Cleveland Metal Community for their generosity and continued support of these events. We know many of your faces and are amazed by how you are all truly one big family. Kudos again to all the people involved in this event. We would like to thank each and everyone one of them."

Bands performing at the festival this year included ETERNAL LEGACY, SOULLESS, SHOK PARIS, CRYPTKICKER, GROUND ZERO, BORROWED TIME and ALTERNATE REALITY. Admission to the concert was free. All production and marketing costs were covered by Peters and his sponsors The Exchange and Production Assistance. The bands and The Saw Concert Club donated their time and venue, respectively.

The benefit was co-hosted by Dave Overkill (DESTRUCTOR) and Aurora Sans (RED HOT HEATHENS).

A special guest appearance was made by North Canton, Ohio's Teresa Theiss. Teresa is the current Ms. Ohio U.S. United and a heavy metal fan!

Germany's Iron Ingo Stührenberg was not able to attend this year due to work commitments. Ingo is a writer for the popular German underground heavy metal webzine Metal Rules. He has traveled to Cleveland from his home in Wiesmoor, Germany, at his own expense, to host the previous two food drive benefit concerts. His first visit to Cleveland was in 2009.

"It's absolutely great the donations topped last year's total by so much", says Ingo. "I want to say THANK YOU to all my friends and people who donated so generously to help the Cleveland Foodbank and The Friends of the Cleveland Kennel to make a difference. Again it shows how close the Heavy Metal Community stands together in Ohio and worldwide. I feel very proud and happy to be part of it and wish all of you a great start into the new year. I will see you in Cleveland in 2012. THANK YOU and ROCK ON!

The event was co-sponsored by John Carroll University radio station WJCU 88.7 FM. WJCU is part of the Cleveland college radio coalition with WCSB 89.3 FM (Cleveland State University), WRUW 91.1 FM (Case Western Reserve University) and WBWC 88.3 FM (Baldwin Wallace College), 4 powerful radio stations committed to providing alternative programming on the lower left end of the dial. All stream their signals live worldwide as well. It is well-known in music industry circles that Cleveland has the best college radio market in the world.

"The staff and management of WJCU would like to thank Bill Peters and the legion of talented musicians, tech crew, and volunteers whose efforts made the third annual Iron Ingo Cleveland Metal Holiday Food Drive (co-sponsored by Auburn Records and WJCU) a tremendous success", says WJCU General Manager Mark Krieger.

"As some of you know, Bill (Peters) brainstormed this benefit 3 years ago as a way of complementing our annual Blizzard Bash fundraiser for the Greater Cleveland Hunger Network, and it’s been ramping up ever since. This year’s performance, not to be outdone by the Blizzard Bash, set a new benchmark, collecting over 2,100 Lbs of food (yes, that’s the better part of a ton) and a substantial monetary donation, all of which are being turned over to the Cleveland Foodbank and Friends of the Cleveland Kennel.

"Of course, this all comes at a time when donations to food banks around the country are down, and the need is greater than ever. So again, congratulations, and thank you all for your outstanding and selfless efforts. Once again, the members of Cleveland’s Metal Community have demonstrated that while their heads may be iron, their hearts are 24-karat gold – and

that’s some heavy metal!"

Photo: Bill Peters stands by one of three large containers filled with food donations being checked in and weighed at the Cleveland Foodbank.