Singer Bonnie Raitt aids Citizen Action

Victoria Harrow

The cause: Just in the nick of time, Bonnie Raitt arrived on the scene to help raise money and public awareness for Ohio Citizen Action, a consumer and environmental organization.

In the spotlight: The nine-time Grammy award-winning singer was spotlight guest at the organization's sold-out Thursday evening fund-raiser at historic G.A.R. Hall in Peninsula. Tickets to the private reception with Raitt, at $100 a pop, included passes to the Lilith Fair concert at Blossom Music Center, where Raitt would perform with Natalie Merchant and Sarah McLachlan.

Crediting the crowd: At the reception, Raitt cited Ohio Citizen Action as being one of the most "amazingly organized and effective grass-roots organizations in the country" and saluted the diligence of its supporters.

Quote: "As a born-and-bred Quaker and civil rights and peace movement activist since I was a little kid when my parents used to bring me to events -- and I'd look up at Joan Baez and Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger and said, 'This is what I want to do with my life' -- I have really kept my eyes peeled on different sites in different parts of the country. What you people have been able to do here in Ohio on the energy issue and toxics issue and nuclear issue is nothing short of miraculous," Raitt said.

Faces in the crowd: Raitt thanked Greenpeace senior adviser Harvey Wasserman and Rep. Erin Sullivan, D-Brook Park, for their personal endeavors on behalf of the issues. Raitt fans Valerie Briggs, Edyie Faix, Mo Farris and Darrah Farris of Akron, and Canton residents Allen and Chris Schulman and Brian and Adrienne Zimmerman were thrilled to meet Raitt.

Memorable moments: As Raitt left the reception for her Lilith performance, she said she was going to "teach those young whippersnapper rockers a thing or two!" While onstage at Lilith, she educated the concert crowd about Ohio Citizen Action.

Funding the fight: After expenses, the event netted about $4,000.