Dueling Piano Fundraiser Rocks The Halles, Raising Money For a Variety of Worthy Causes

The Piano Man would be proud. Round Top residents turned out in force, raising more than $20,000 for a collection of good causes including the Round Top Historical Society, Round Top Family Library and a local group of cyclists preparing for The Alzheimer’s Foundation’s Ride to END ALZ at a rollicking live dueling piano fundraiser held at The Halles events venue.

Traveling pianists with the Howl at the Moon club of San Antonio led the fundraising efforts, collecting cash in exchange for sing-along performances at the sold out night dubbed Rock The Halles.

A bonus auction of an artisan hunting knife donated by Crown Bar partner and local outdoorsman Larry Weishuhn brought in a high bid of more than $2,200. Which was donated to the grieving town of Uvalde, rocked by the horrific mass shooting massacre at Robb Elementary School.

Golden Hour at The Halles. (*Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)*

Rock The Halles’ unique fundraising scheme was organized by Carmine resident Marcos Hernandez of Guaranteed Rate mortgage company, who lost his beloved father to Alzheimer’s disease in 2015.

“I participated in the inaugural Ride to END ALZ,” Hernandez says. “I loved the experience and promised myself that from that point on I would be as active as possible.”

Hernandez is on the recruitment committee for the Ride to END ALZ, and will participate in this year’s event as a captain.

Event host Marcos Hernandez and pals at Rock The Halles.

“We included the Round Top Family Library and Round Top Historical Society because (Alzheimer’s) disease robs us of our memories,” Hernandez says. “Not only does the library hold events for seniors and offer programs that benefit the community, but it helps to pass memories along. The same can be said about the historical society.”

The main sponsors of Rock The Halles were Guaranteed Rate, PaperCity, realtor Andrea Riebeling and The Crown Bar, which provided free drink tickets and slung specialty cocktails during the show.

Seen at the fundraiser: Norman and Sally Reynolds of Festival Hill, Nancy Addison and Kent Wright, Laurie and John Lowry of Humble Donkey Studio, and Greg Fourticq and John Cone of Red Antler Bungalows.