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Community Corner

Local Youths Plan Benefit Memorial Concert

Nonprofit group, created in December, has already awarded one $1,500 scholarship and is planning another benefit in Roseville Friday.

Two local young adults have taken the grief from the sudden loss of their dear friend to create a nonprofit group which actively supports young artists.

John Hitz was a senior at East Detroit High School, who died in his sleep on Dec. 3 from an enlarged heart. He was 18 years old.

His death devastated Mike Morris, of St. Clair Shores, his best friend and band mate, and his girlfriend, Sarah Brockett, of Macomb Township.

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Despite the loss that Morris and Brockett felt, there was also a strong desire to honor Hitz’s memory by supporting up-and-coming artists.

Together they co-founded Forever Adventure to honor of their friend with a goal to provide support and resources for young artists so they may realize their own personal adventures through music and other arts.

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At a little over six-months old, Forever Adventure has already started to realize its goals with scholarships and benefit concerts, and that has been exceptionally rewarding for Morris and Brockett.  

“Sarah and I are more than excited about the success we’ve had in such a short period of time – just knowing that if you set your mind and heart to something, you can actually go out and make it happen,” Morris said. “We hope to continue to aid and change people’s lives by giving opportunities to adventure in music and the arts.”

Like their departed friend, Morris and Brockett are passionate about the arts. Morris, a South Lake High School graduate, is majoring in communications at Oakland University and has his own band. Brockett is majoring in graphic design at Grand Valley State University.

Armed with the group’s mission, Forever Adventure sold t-shirts, lanyards and bracelets at the East Detroit High School store. They also hosted a at the school in March.

Forever Adventure reaped the rewards of all their work on June 7, when East Detroit High School senior David Meldrum was awarded the first John Hitz Memorial Scholarship for $1,500. Meldrum is a visual artist who will be pursuing a career in graphic arts.   

Morris said that he and Brockett worked with a scholarship committee at East Detroit High School to select the recipient.

“We gave them a list of some requirements we were looking for in our recipient. We wanted to find someone who had similar philosophies to John, someone with an adventuress spirit,” he said.  

Another benefit will be held this Friday at 220 Café, located in the Christ Community Church Complex in Roseville.

“The café is normally used as a meeting place for church youth groups, but the church recently wanted to make this building more music-friendly and to promote local talent on a more regular basis, and this benefit show is one of many to come at 220,” said Morris, whose band, Aria Aesthetic, will be performing at the event.

In addition to other activities, Forever Adventure will have its own tent at the Detroit stop of Vans Warped Tour, which will take place July 8 at Comerica Park.

The Forever Adventure benefit concert will be held Friday at 220 Café in the Christ Community Church Complex in Roseville. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the cost is $8. Featured acts are Aria Aesthetic, Landon Hughes, Goldstarr and Passage to India.

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