But common sense prevailed, and the first Rex benefits were staged the following year in the Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium. In , the foundation made world-wide news when they gave money to the impoverished Lithuanian basketball team so it could buy tie-dye uniforms to wear in the Olympics that year.
After they won the bronze medal, the foundation raked in a small fortune selling Lithuanian team jerseys and T-shirts. But most grants have been modest and quietly received. Barlow described the creative chaos of the early Rex decision-making process, which allowed the band and all its employees to nominate favorite causes but tended to turn a blind eye to more formal applicants. Garcia, who joined the Rex board in , described the raucous affairs that were the early foundation board meetings.
But the way they gave back was nothing like traditional conservative foundations. Rex operated the Grateful Dead way. The gravy train dried up after patriarch Jerry Garcia died in and the Grateful Dead ceased touring. In addition, Rex produces music festivals that benefit high school music and arts programs. Musicians even donate their used guitar strings to be fashioned into Rex benefit bracelets by a group called Wear Your Music. Contact Paul Liberatore via email at liberatore marinij.
The Rex Foundation, P. Box San Francisco, CA , info rex foundation. Share this: Click to share on Twitter Opens in new window Click to share on Facebook Opens in new window Click to print Opens in new window Click to email a link to a friend Opens in new window. More in News.
