News
Early Intervention is the idea that typically the sooner in someone’s life that you act to respond or accommodate their special needs, the better the outcome and the quality of life for that person. Early Intervention “can have a significant impact on a child’s ability to learn new skills and overcome challenges and can increase success in school and life.”
This is true across many disciplines, especially those that are important to us at 5 Points Music Sanctuary. That is to say that Early Intervention is beneficial in Music Therapy, Hearing Loss Advocacy, and Accessibility initiatives.
For Music Therapy,
like many other forms of therapy, the earlier you can respond to and address a child’s special needs, the better the results for that child. “Introducing music and music therapy into a child’s life very early is a great way to improve their memory. […] Music therapy also works well to develop a child’s reasoning and language skills.”
For Accessibility initiatives,
it is always beneficial to act early in the planning or construction process to incorporate accessible features and the principles of universal design. It is always better, and usually cheaper, to plan for accessibility from the start, rather than trying to retrofit accessible features into an existing design. This is why it’s important to us to plan for and anticipate accessibility needs at the beginning of the planning for our live events.
For Hearing Loss Advocacy, the CDC says,
“Hearing loss can affect a child’s ability to develop speech, language, and social skills. The earlier a child who is deaf or hard-of-hearing starts getting services, the more likely the child’s speech, language, and social skills will reach their full potential.
Early intervention program services help young children with hearing loss learn language skills and other important skills. Research shows that early intervention services can greatly improve a child’s development.”
That’s why the Virginia Department of Health Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Program is giving away FREE iPads to families who have children under 5-years-old who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Additional resources for Virginia families of children with hearing loss can be found here.
The Virginia Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program has the opportunity to provide free iPads to families who have deaf and hard of hearing children to support communication options, literacy and language development, and a virtual connection between parents and providers.
Your child may qualify if they have:
- Diagnosed hearing loss
- Are under the age of 5 years old
- Do not have an iPad in the home.
For more detailed information on the expected use of the iPads, please see the attached flyer.
If your family, or a family you know, could benefit from an iPad, please contact the VA EHDI team at va_ehdi@vdh.virginia.gov.
iPads will be available while supplies last!
Great News!
The Sanctuary will be financed with a $200,000 down payment, and we are on our way
toward meeting this goal. We have raised 87% thus far, thanks to your generous support.
The capital campaign has been divided into 3 phases. Phase 1 has been extended to 12-31-2022, and we need to raise $200k. This will serve as the downpayment on the building, securing the initial purchase of The Sanctuary.
Phase 2 will begin after we complete Phase 1, with a goal of raising another $100k. Phase 2 funds will be used for building improvements and a larger downpayment to lower our monthly overhead expenses.
Phase 3 will run throughout 2023, with a larger goal of purchasing the property outright and making further improvements to the building. We want to ensure that 5 Points continues to serve the community and region for many years to come.
Many thanks to Henri Gendreau and The Roanoke Rambler for this article about our capital campaign and the drive to buy the building. The entire story is below, but you can also click HERE to access it.
Real Talk
5 Points’ multi-year lease at 1217 Maple Ave ends on January 1, 2023. When 5PTS started, we signed a 5-year lease that was extended to 6 years under the premise that, as we neared the end of the lease, we would determine if the 5 Points NPO model is sustainable enough to buy the building. The owners have supported us throughout the past 6 years with rates well below market value, while also allowing for flexibility in navigating the early years and Covid. Our commitment to honoring the terms of that agreement is driving this campaign. Our board members have agreed that our organization is strong enough to purchase the building. The building owners have spent an incredible amount of money over the past 6 years supporting our work and it’s our responsibility to take the next step and reciprocate their support by not burdening them with an uncertain future or prospects for the path ahead. DONATE HERE
Deadlines and Financing
At the most recent board meeting, board members voted to put a deadline on securing Phase 1 funds by Tuesday, November 29, 2022 (Giving Tuesday). We have been working for months to nail down exactly how much we need to finance the purchase of the building. That minimum amount is $200,000. Phase 2 will run from November 30-December 31, where we try to raise another $100,000, to get us to $300k to have a bigger down payment and lower our monthly expenses as well as make some much needed improvements to the building. DONATE HERE
Pledges and Donations
At this point, we are accepting both pledges and donations. If you’d like to pledge a larger (or recurring) amount, those pledges would be due by the end of this calendar year. Donations of any amount, of course, are appreciated and accepted in an ongoing cycle. 5 Points Music Foundation is a registered 501(c)3; all donations are tax deductible. DONATE HERE
Name the Stage!
We also have some naming rights opportunities for those who might be interested in leaving a more lasting legacy on the work we do at 5 Points Music Foundation. You can name the stage, the mezzanine, the (coming soon) ADA viewing deck, and more! If naming a stair or a brick is more your style, we have those options available as well. DONATE HERE
The Good News: Matching Donations
We have a few donors who are offering to match donations for the next 3 weeks. Week 1, up to $5,000 in donations will be matched. Week 2, up to $10,000 will be matched. And, week 3, up to $20,000 will be matched. This means that for whatever amount you donate, one of our donors will donate that same amount, thus, ‘matching’ your donation. So, you donate $200, and 5 Points will receive $400 total. Matching donations are made possible by a few individuals who believe in the mission of 5 Points and want to encourage others to join the efforts to continue our important work in the community and beyond. DONATE HERE
The Future Outlook
We remain very optimistic about the future at 5 Points Music Sanctuary. Tyler is booking shows well into 2023; Kellee is lining up private events as they are confirmed, and we are still business as usual at the office—working toward our missions of hearing loss advocacy, music therapy, and accessibility. This is not a picture of doom and gloom, but rather one of the utmost urgency, to make this all come together. DONATE HERE
Get In Touch
If you’d like more information, have questions, or want to chat about various options for donating, we are here to help. Reach out to Tyler (tyler@5pointsmusic.com) or Kellee (kellee@5pointsmusic.com) or any 5 Points Board Member to discuss how you can best help continue the important work we continue to do at 5 Points. DONATE HERE
Help Us Save 5 Points Music Sanctuary
PHASE 1 DEADLINE: Giving Tuesday, November 29, 2022
WHAT IS 5 POINTS MUSIC SANCTUARY?
5 Points Music Foundation, a recognized 501c3 organization, launched in January 2017 with a simple mission: “To pursue the power of sound in all its glory.” The story began when Founder/Director Tyler Godsey’s two children were born deaf. At the age of 11 months old, they were each lucky enough to celebrate the gift of sound by receiving cochlear implants. It’s this gift that serves as the inspiration for 5 Points Music and all that we do.
In 2019, both children were diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Usher’s Syndrome, and they will progressively lose their vision by their early 20s. After this challenging diagnosis, 5 Points added an accessibility mission to our foundation, ensuring that people of all abilities have access to our programming and shows.
While our live events and concerts unite audiences from far and wide, they also serve as a platform to promote and support our music therapy, hearing loss advocacy, and accessibility efforts. With each event, we bring artists and audiences together to celebrate the moments that define our worlds. Many leave The Sanctuary knowing that we are unlike anywhere else in the world, and they are eager to return and be a part of our ongoing story.
We celebrate sound, we embrace it, and we explore it. DONATE HERE
WHY THE NEED FOR 5 POINTS MUSIC SANCTUARY?
Music Therapy
5 Points Music Foundation provides free music therapy to clients of all ages with a variety of special needs. They range from 3-year-olds with Down Syndrome to veterans with PTSD. Since beginning in 2017, we have provided nearly $75,000 worth of therapy to clients. The program is available to individuals throughout Southwest Virginia including Roanoke, New River Valley, Martinsville, Rocky Mount, and the surrounding region.
Hearing Loss Advocacy
5 Points Music’s hearing loss advocacy efforts are multi-faceted. Our goal is to encourage and support a more sound-friendly world. We work with artists to maintain safe decibel limits during their performances and provide free ear protection for all guests. We investigate ways to reduce the risk of hearing loss, advocate for those with disabilities, and explore myriad ways to make our world more sound-friendly.
Accessibility
At all of our events, we provide wearable SUBPAC devices for those with hearing loss. These “backpacks” feed into the PA system wirelessly and send vibrations of the music into the user. While we provide these as an accommodation for those with hearing loss, anyone can wear them. Our goal is to remind audiences that the power of sound is more than what we hear. It’s also about what we feel, what we see, and what we share together.
URGENT CALL TO ACTION: BUYING THE BUILDING
5 Points’ multi-year lease at 1217 Maple Ave ends on January 1, 2023. When 5PTS started, we signed a 5-year lease that was extended to 6 years under the premise that, as we neared the end of the lease, we would determine if the 5 Points NPO model is sustainable enough to buy the building. The owners have supported us throughout the past 6 years with rates well below market value, while also allowing for flexibility in navigating the early years and Covid. Our commitment to honoring the terms of that agreement is driving this campaign. Our board members have agreed that our organization is strong enough to purchase the building. The building owners have spent an incredible amount of money over the past 6 years supporting our work and it’s our responsibility to take the next step and reciprocate their support by not burdening them with an
uncertain future or prospects for the path ahead. DONATE HERE
CORPORATE OR INDIVIDUAL SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Platinum ($10,000 – $25,000+) DONATE HERE
- 2 mezzanine passes to 1 monthly show at 5 PTS 2023 (24 total)
- Sponsor placement in all newsletters & on webpage
- 2 dedicated social posts per quarter
- Stage mention at every live show during ‘Tyler’s Talk’
- Prominent placement on outdoor show stage banners
- Included on commemorative plaque in 5 Points vestibule
- Exclusive presale opportunity for select shows throughout the year
Gold ($5,000 – $9,999) DONATE HERE
- 2 stool seats to 1 monthly show at 5 PTS 2023 (24 total)
- Sponsor placement in all newsletters & on webpage
- 1 dedicated social post per quarter
- Placement on outdoor show stage banners
- Included on commemorative plaque in 5 Points vestibule
- Exclusive presale opportunity for select shows throughout the year
Silver ($1,000 – $4,999) DONATE HERE
- 2 GA tickets to 1 monthly show at 5 PTS 2023 (24 total)
- Sponsor placement on webpage
- Name noted on individual steps
- Included on commemorative plaque in 5 Points vestibule
- Exclusive presale opportunity for select shows throughout the year
Bronze ($500 – $999) DONATE HERE
- Buy a Brick (half $500 or whole $1,000) in our courtyard
- Sponsor placement on webpage
- Included on commemorative plaque in 5 Points vestibule
*Other naming right sponsorship opportunities are available, upon request. Name our stage, mezzanine, ADA viewing platform, or outdoor courtyard. Show the community how you or your organization support the arts, hearing loss advocacy, music therapy, and accessibility. Please reach out to info@5pointsmusic.com for more information.
5PTS SoundPack at Floydfest 22
5 Points Music Sanctuary and the Power of Sound
At 5 Points Music Sanctuary we preach that the power of sound is about more than just what we hear. To that end, we developed the 5PTS SoundPack as a way to give our Deaf and hard of hearing patrons a new way to experience the power of sound at our concerts. The 5PTS SoundPack can also be used as an experiential enhancement by interested guests at any of our shows. The SoundPack allows guests to experience the power of sound through the physical sensation of the SUBPAC vibrating against their back in addition to the high fidelity audio feed straight from the soundboard into the Silent Sound System headphones. These devices also allow us to start conversations about accessibility and accommodations to encourage guests and performers alike to think about how we can improve the concert-going experience for someone who has partial or complete hearing loss. Accommodating Deaf fans at music events is nothing new, and looking back at the history of these accommodations can give us valuable insight into how best to accommodate Deaf or hard of hearing patrons in the modern age.
Deafheads and the Deaf Zone; a Short History
Not being able to hear the music on stage has never stopped Deaf music fans from attending and enjoying concerts. As we approach our upcoming Dead Reckoning Halloween show, we wanted to look back at the history of Deaf fans of the Grateful Dead.
Deaf Grateful Dead fans, or Deafheads as they are sometimes called, came on the scene in the 1980s at Grateful Dead shows in the Washington, DC area. This area is home to Gallaudet University, the world’s first school for the advanced education of the deaf and hard of hearing. Deafheads worked with venues, promoters, and even Grateful Dead soundman Dan Healy to establish zones with enough space for them to sign to each other and enjoy the show. In recent years, thanks to Deaf fans advocating and lobbying for greater accessibility at concerts, promoters even established a Deaf Zone at a concert at Soldier Field in Chicago.
A 2015 Wall Street Journal article by John Jurgensen details what it was like inside the Deaf Zone.
“Concert organizers had gated off on the stadium floor about 60 yards from the stage, three sign language interpreters worked in rotation, translating the meaning of songs from “China Cat Sunflower” to “Truckin.’”
A sign marking the location of the Deaf Zone at a Grateful Dead show
“Facing the audience, some of whom held balloons that helped catch the sound pulses in the air, the interpreters took turns standing on a lighted platform, moving their hands and arms with fluid messages. They glanced down at song lyrics on a tablet computer and wore headphones plugged directly into a vocal mix from the band’s soundboard. Next to the interpreter’s podium was a 55-inch video screen featuring close-up views of the musicians, allowing the Deaf Zone fans to better see their faces and, for some, to read their lips.”
While we strive to do our very best to accommodate guests or performers who are Deaf or hard of hearing, we also want to ensure that our guests who are able to hear retain that ability even after years of attending concerts. This is why our partnership with Roanoke Valley Speech and Hearing Center is so important. Not only are they able to give us valuable insight on hearing from audiologists and other hearing-related professionals, they also bring their Mobile Hearing Test Unit to our concerts and meet our audiences where they are. This allows us to conveniently and effectively work to protect and preserve the hearing of our audiences so they can continue to experience the power of sound and chase those apex moments.
Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart said it best when he said “Music is vibration, it’s great to share the vibes with everybody, especially those who can’t usually share it.”
This quote came from a Washington Post article detailing the concertgoing experience for Deafheads at a 1993 show in Washington, DC.
How Can You Protect Your Hearing?
If you are concerned about protecting your hearing during any of our concerts, then you should check out our selection of high fidelity Music Pro earplugs from EarPeace.
Make sure you stop by the Mobile Hearing Test Unit for your free hearing screening during our 10/29 Dead Reckoning and 11/5 Town Mountain shows.
Guitarist John K after getting his hearing checked
A change proposed by the FDA last year is taking effect this fall and will be bringing hearing aids to more consumers by allowing them to be sold over-the-counter. This eliminates the need for medical exams and fittings that can make up two-thirds of the total cost of a prescription hearing aid. The FDA estimates that nearly 30 million adults suffer from hearing loss in our country, but many of these individuals do not use a hearing aid. Experts and the federal regulators behind this change hope that this will drive down prices and spur innovation when it comes to hearing aids and the technology they use.
This move by the FDA is aimed at making hearing aids more widely available without the added cost burden on the consumer of medical exams and fittings. These added expenses can make up two-thirds of the total cost of hearing aids, a cost that can be as high as $5000 for some individuals. Industry experts hope this move will bring down the cost of hearing aids for all consumers as well as removing a barrier to entry that currently exists in the requirement to see a specialist before receiving a hearing aid.
While the availability of over-the-counter hearing aids can potentially diminish the role of audiologists and other specialists in diagnosing and treating hearing loss with prescription hearing aids, we must not forget the important role these specialists play in diagnosing, researching, and treating hearing loss and other related issues like processing disorders, dizziness, and trouble balancing. We reached out to Dr. Heather Dickey, a clinical audiologist at Roanoke Valley Speech and Hearing Center(RVSHC), for her thoughts on the bill and the changes it will bring.
“It’s important to remember that ‘hearing’ is more involved than just the ear and potentially putting a hearing aid in the ear. The brain plays a huge role in processing the information it receives from the ear (both ‘hearing’ and balance signals). Central Auditory Processing evaluations are something that we offer here, and it is important for children and adults who have trouble hearing in noise, paying attention to auditory information, difficulty understanding speech/confusing different speech sounds and other difficulties to be evaluated.”
This change will not eliminate the need for specialists like Dr. Heather Dickey, but it will force them to change and adapt their business. “We are also working to revise our pricing so that the cost of the hearing aids is just for the hearing aids themselves, not the hearing aids and services “bundled” together.” says Dr. Heather Dickey from RVSHC. “This will lower the price of hearing aids and give patients more transparency in what exactly they are paying for, and allow them control over what services they want.”
Hearing loss is not always preventable, but it can be in some cases. That’s why you will find free disposable foam ear plugs being given out at every 5 Points Music Sanctuary event. We also sell high fidelity reusable ear plugs and offer free high quality hearing protection for our youngest guests. We want all of our guests to feel confident in their level of hearing protection so that they can continue to enjoy live music and join 5 Points for more events over the coming years.
Baby Banz Hear-No-Blare Earmuffs
So, if you suffer from hearing loss, issues with balance, processing disorders, or simply just want to see how your hearing has held up over the years, please get in touch with your local hearing specialist to set up a hearing screening or test. RVSHC will be bringing their Mobile Hearing Test Unit to 5 Points Music Sanctuary shows this fall. This will give our guests the opportunity to get a free hearing screening while attending one of our many great events. Stay tuned for more information on future appearances from the RVSHC Mobile Hearing Test Unit.
John Kadlecik, guitarist for Melvin Seals and JGB, gives a thumbs up after getting his hearing screening at a 5 Points Outdoors event.
The party’s not over when GO Fest wraps up on Friday, October 14—it’s just getting started at 5 Points Music Sanctuary in Downtown Roanoke. You don’t want to miss a night with Joslyn & the Sweet Compression. Joslyn honed her buttery-rich vocals in theater and has taken her act on the road with a tight band of musicians. Her performances evoke nostalgic memories of Motown and jazz.
We are gearing up for an exciting football season at 5 Points and want you to be a part of the fun! 
The 5 Points Football Pool is offering 2 opportunities to win prizes & show passes.
Each pool is $25 to enter. See below for rules of the games and how to enter.
You must have (or set up) a Yahoo Sports account to participate. The link to set up your account will be included in your registration email.
YOU MUST DONATE & REGISTER BY SEPT 8 at NOON TO ENTER EITHER POOL.
The winner of each pool will receive a VIP Party for 4 at a 5 Points spring shows (based on availability), including front row seating for 4 people and (1) signed poster from the band.
Football Survivor Pool
*Pick 1 winning team per week of the games played that week.
*You cannot repeat any team pick throughout the season.
*You can change your pick as many times as you like, up until the deadline each week.
*As long as you pick a winning team, you stay in the pool.
*If your team pick for the week doesn’t win, you are eliminated from the pool.
For official rules, click HERE.
For general info about this pool, click HERE.
To join the 5PTS SURVIVOR POOL, donate $25 HERE, and you will receive an email with your registration information and link.
Football Pick ‘Em Pool
*Pick the winning teams for all games played that week.
*Select “confidence points” for how sure you are of your pick.
*If your chosen team wins, you receive the number of confidence points you selected.
*If your team loses, you don’t receive any points for that specific game.
*In the rare case of a tie in the pool, you are asked to predict a score in a specific game each week.
*You can make your selections up to 5 minutes prior to the Thursday night kickoff.
For official rules and more info, click HERE.
To watch a video about the Pick ‘Em Pool, click HERE.
To join the 5PTS PICK ‘EM POOL, donate $25 HERE, and you will receive an email with your registration information and link to set up your account.
Questions? Email info@5pointsmusic.com
