Jay Patrick Boland and The Only Members Band, Matthew “Lig” Knabe and The Allen Ilg Band, presented a night of live music Saturday at JB’s to raise money for the Get Well Gabby Foundation.

Boland, member of the Jay Patrick Boland and The Only Members Band, said both his goals of creating awareness for the foundation and raising at least $500 for the organization were achieved.

“I think our social media campaign and the support from publications like the Daily Kent Stater helped us reach our goals,” Boland said. “I think everyone had a great time.”

The Get Well Gabby foundation is in the memory of Gabriella Vogel, a girl who died at age 5 from a rare brain cancer. The foundation raises money for brain cancer research, assists in the care of children with cancer, provides for families who have children with cancer and spreads awareness of all childhood cancers.

Many supporters came to the event, some from as far away as Columbus.

“A couple in particular came up to me at the end of the night,” Boland said. “They had lost their son to cancer this past summer and thanked me for our efforts.”

Boland wishes to plan another event for the foundation toward the end of the summer or beginning of next fall. This time, he wants to target the Cleveland market and make more of an effort to get more people to support it.

“I think last night’s event was an overall success,” Boland said. “Especially when you think about how we put this event together in just the matter of a few weeks. I think with a little more planning we can make a much bigger impact.”

Contact Kate Kelly at [email protected].