Baby Mikey was born Feb. 8. The next day, he had open heart surgery. Mikey, who was born three months premature, suffers from pericardial effusion, a condition when blood and fluid surrounds the heart, said Erin Kauffman, an intake counselor with Indiana County Community Action Program. Mikey will be the benefactor of funds raised at concerts this summer sponsored by Rock for Life, Inc. Concerts will be held at a North Apollo bar tonight and Falcon Park in Ford City next weekend for Mikey, whose mother lives just south of Indiana. The event is a precursor to a larger gathering in August that Rock for Life is holding to help Mikey. The nonprofit organization sponsors music festivals and concerts to provide financial support to ailing children and their families in the area, said board president Steve Craven. The event has gained momentum in its last nine years, Craven said, and smaller concerts are being held to promote the two days of music later this summer in Iselin (Indiana County). It "snowballed into something bigger than I ever thought it would, he said. The Rock for Life main concert will be held on August 1 and 2 at the Iselin Ball Field in Young Township. "It's just all a good time and for a good cause," he said. The concert started nine years ago when Craven and members of his band were asked by a Vandergrift fire company to perform a benefit concert. A request was made the following year and the idea to have one annually was sparked. The organization was formed and now requires a formal application and board vote before deciding to whom the funds will be directed. The organization also ensures that the funds are spent accordingly, he said. "We make you jump through some hoops because if you really need help, you'll do it," he said. Kauffman nominated Mikey after doing research on his condition and with his mother's permission, she said. "He's responding very well to the treatment he's receiving," she said. The organization has helped children from Vandergrift, Kittanning and Leechburg, among others. "Some of these kids are amazing ... they're smiling, they're playing with things, they just want to be a kid," Craven said. The concerts not only help a needy family, but also local musicians, he said. Next weekend's concert will feature blues, country, metal, acoustic and more. Besides rocking in front of hundreds of people at the concerts, Craven said one of the reasons he likes participating in the events with his band After the Fall is the "gut check." Helping someone else while playing music reminds him that even when he's having a bad day, "things could be a lot worse," he said. "It's just a good pick me up," he said. Additional Information:

Upcoming events sponsored by Rock for Life, Inc.:

Tonight Ozzy's Bar & Grill on North 16th Street, North Apollo Live music from local bands June 7 at 2 p.m. 'Concert in the Park' Falcon Park, Route 66 in Ford City $10 donation, BYOB, camping permitted, concessions available The following bands are scheduled to perform: The Jesse Minute, Through These Eyes, Embers to Ashes, Ill Fated, BUM, GT Goodtimez, Five-2-One, After the Fall, (kaj) and Skell www.rockforlifeconcert.com . www.rockforlifeinc.org .

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