Making music for a good cause

A rock concert is not usually associated with an Eagle Scout project.

But that is exactly what Josh Watson, 16, of Montclair, has planned.

"They told me to follow my passion, and I'm passionate about my music," said Josh, a Boy Scout in Troop 1553 who has been playing in a couple of bands for the last two years. "I decided to combine music with my Eagle Scout project."

And that is what he's done with a benefit concert to be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday in Merchant Park in Dumfries, featuring teen rock bands.

Two of the four bands -- Shamrock 19 and Black Ties -- were in the park Saturday morning for a sound check. Josh is a member of Black Ties.

The other two bands that will play are Rising Legacy and My August Alibi. All are comprised of teenagers who attend Osbourn Park and Hylton high schools, or are home-schooled like Josh.

The music will range from punk and alternative to rock and rap.

Rebecca Watson, Josh's mother, said it took a little convincing before Boy Scout officials would approve the benefit concert idea.

Josh said all music played will be family-friendly and the lyrics clean.

He also said he didn't realize how much work was involved in organizing a concert. First he had to decide which bands would play. "There were a lot of bands that wanted to," he said.

Finding a venue also became an issue when the initial plans to hold it at Dolphin Beach in Montclair fell through.

"There were a few glitches along the way," Josh said.

Josh also had to figure out who would be the beneficiary of the concert. A friend of Rebecca Watson's, Emma Young, helped with that.

Young is a board member of Iona's Home, a charitable organization based in the Dumfries area that is committed to providing homeless children in Uganda with shelter, food, clothing, medical care, survival skills training, counseling and access to education.

The organization was formed when a Dumfries family, originally from Uganda, adopted a child from their homeland and shared with their friends and neighbors the living conditions many children in Uganda face.

"These were children who needed help," Josh said.

After asking Young what was needed, John decided that the proceeds from his concert would be used to buy mosquito netting that will be shipped to Uganda.

According to Josh, malaria and yellow fever, spread by mosquitoes, is the number one killer of children in Uganda. In 2006, more than 880,000 children died of malaria and 90 percent of those deaths occurred in Uganda and surrounding countries. Josh did his research for this Scout project.

"This is a serious and life ravaging disease," he said. "However, it can be easily prevented through the use of mosquito netting."

"I think all this is great," said Rebecca Watson. "He found out it was a lot of work, but he learned a lot from it."

There is no admission charge for the concert, but guests will be asked to make a donation.

With posters and fliers at area high schools and notices on MySpace and Facebook, Josh is hoping to fill the park Friday with music -- and music lovers.

Aileen Streng can be reached at 703-878-8010.