The Daily Item – Saugus-based Band Dedicates Its Profits To Good Cause

By Chris Stevens / The Daily Item

SAUGUS – A Saugus-based rock band has decided to use what it does best – music – to generate some much needed revenue for schools across the country.

Each a product of the public school system, the five members of Thirteen Yards to Victory (13 YTV) are aware that students and teachers returning to classrooms over the next couple of weeks will be greeted by layoffs, increased class sizes and the loss of programs such as music and art classes. But the band hopes to change some of that with the release of its latest CD, a little luck and a chance to become a true “American Dreamer.”

Taking a cue from President Barack Obama’s United We Serve Campaign and the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, the band will donate all profits from its new CD, “American Dreamers” set to be released Sept. 15.

The band’s bassist, 22-year-old Dave Rossi, a Saugus High graduate, said it’s unthinkable to him that any program be lost to budget cuts, least of all art-based programs.

“As a bunch of guys who recently graduated from high school, we can’t imagine not having had programs like marching band, art or theater,” he said. “We, and so many of our friends, benefited greatly from having these kinds of programs in our schools.”

To lay claim to the proceeds, however, one must first become an American Dreamer.

Thirteen Yards to Victory is looking for the most creative, innovative and unique interpretations of what it means to be an “American Dreamer.” Entrants may submit videos, original music compositions, essays, the spoken word, artwork, photography or any other creative expression of his/her personal interpretation. Videos/musical compositions/presentations submitted must be less than five minutes and essays should not exceed 1,000 words.

The contest is open to any individual, group, school, school district or local community across the country and including U.S. Territories of Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. One winner will be selected in each state or territory and the District of Columbia.

To enter, participants need only to download the CD at the Web site http://6plus7.com, they will then be given an access code allowing them to enter the contest via the same site.

Each winner will receive the band’s proceeds from the purchases of 13 YTV’s American Dreamers CD in his or her respective area and all proceeds will be awarded to the winners’ designated schools or school districts to be specifically used for music and art education programs.

The band will also perform a free concert in each winner’s location, where all five members of the band will personally present the winning checks.

Entries will be accepted from Tuesday, Sept. 15 through Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009. The members of 13 YTV will be part of a committee that will judge the contest and winners will be announced on Monday, Feb. 1, 2010.

The guys are not only excited about the contest, they are also excited to have received a very important stamp of approval regarding the project.

In his last official statement on community service, U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy wrote the following statement of support to the band shortly before he lost a 15-month battle with brain cancer.

“I commend the members of Thirteen Yards to Victory for responding so well to President Obama’s call to encourage young men and women to become involved in community service,” he wrote. “The ‘I’m an American Dreamer’ project demonstrates the band’s strong commitment to help America meet its most pressing challenges by putting their talents to work for communities across the country.”

Along with Kennedy, 13YTV also picked endorsements from U.S. Sen. John Kerry and U.S. Rep. John F. Tierney.

In addition to Rossi, the band is made up of Anthony DiPerri, 20, and Ryan Passariello, 18, both of Saugus, Vinny Prezioso, 19, of East Boston and Thomas Iannello, 21, of Revere.

Prezioso said he hopes their commitment might serve as an inspiration to others.

“Music is my life. It’s how I express myself to the world,” he said. “I believe music is very powerful and I hope our public service commitment will inspire others to use their own talents, whether in music or not, to benefit people in the community.”

About Thirteen Yards to Victory

During its brief time on the music scene, the band has performed during the Boston date of the internationally acclaimed Vans Warped Tour in 2007, has covered 29 states via three independent national tours and has recorded under the auspices of acclaimed drummer Kenny Aronoff (Melissa Etheridge, John Fogerty and Smashing Pumpkins).