A teenager from Los Angeles County is helping her neighborhood cope during the pandemic, by organizing weekly string quartet concerts in her front yard.
She's also supporting a local grief center at the same time, and she's our KNX Hero of the Week.
Sasha Schoettler says the idea for "Fiddler on the Lawn" came to mind after watching her mom play the violin.
"My mom is a professional violinist. She was with one of her friends playing some duets in our front yard. And there were tons of people walking past, and everyone really loved it!" says the Palisades High School student. "I thought this could be an amazing way to fundraise for a cause I am really passionate about, and I immediately thought about Our House, because they helped me when I lost my dad in 2010."
Our House is a grief support center, a place that is close to the 16-year-old.
[[{"fid":"223958","view_mode":"full","fields":{"format":"full","alignment":"","field_file_image_attribution[und][0][value]":"KNX 1070 News Handout"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"full","alignment":"","field_file_image_attribution[und][0][value]":"KNX 1070 News Handout"}},"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-full","data-delta":"1"}}]]
"I saw that they were doing special things for people who lost their loved ones to Covid19. And [many] couldn't grieve with their normal support system, because of the quarantine," explains Sasha.
"I decided I wanted to set up more official concerts to raise money for Our House. I sent out a newsletter, and we had over fifty people come to our first concert. We raised over $500!"
"It was really, really inspiring," says Sasha.
Sylvia Moskovitz is the Chief Development Officer with Our House, and she says Sasha is an amazing young lady who truly has a heart for others.
"She still remembers the importance of grief support, and she wants to do this to help other kids. It gave me faith that our younger generation really 'gets it'!'"
So far, Sasha has organized about eight "Fiddler on the Lawn" concerts, raising nearly $3000.
Sasha says it not only gives her joy knowing that she's helping others cope during the pandemic, she's happy to create an outlet for her mom and fellow musicians to pay their music. Most studios and concerts halls are closed right now, due to COVID19.
"This is basically the only chance they get to perform."
Making an impact during the pandemic, 16 year-old Sasha Schoettler is our KNX Hero of the Week!
"It's been really amazing and overwhelming, the support that we've gotten," says the teenager.
KNX Heroes presented by California Resources Corporation, saluting our military veterans, and all of our heroes!
For information with Our House grief support center, go to https://www.ourhouse-grief.org/
If you have someone you'd like to nominate as a KNX Hero of the Week, click https://knx1070.radio.com/nominate
