Missy Lovario said she has many good reasons why she took on the task of being this year’s chair for the Brighton Relay for Life.

    “With a lot of charities, the money doesn’t all go to the cause,” she said. “With Relay, the majority goes to the cause. At some point, we’re all hoping to completely eradicate cancer—that’s our main goal.”

    As a fundraiser for this year’s Relay, Lovario and the rest of her Relay team from Valley Bank & Trust will present the band, Slopeside, with opening act, singer/song-writer Jack Gaffney, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Brighton Armory. Doors open at 7 p.m., and admission is $7. Tickets are available at the Valley Bank & Trust location in Brighton or at the door before the concert. The all-ages concert is a fundraiser for Valley Bank and Trust’s Relay for Life Team, and all proceeds will go to benefit the American Cancer Society.

    Last year’s Brighton Relay brought in more than $89,000, Lovario said, and the Valley Bank team hopes to top the $3,000 they raised as a team last year. There’s still time for teams to register for this year’s event. This year’s Relay for Life will be July 9 and 10 at the Brighton Recreation Center.

    “The Relay itself is one of the most amazing events,” she said. “Once you go to one you’re absolutely hooked and the feeling of family and friends around you all night and working for such a great cause, there’s no feeling like that.”

    Opening act Jack Gaffney is a 12-year-old singer, songwriter, musician and performer. He plays his piano-driven rock-n-roll in venues around the Denver area. He also plays guitar, harmonica, cello, drums and classical piano. Gaffney studies music theory at a college level, and is composing a symphony for a full orchestra. He is featured on internet radio www.jammin5280radio.com, which will be live-streaming Saturday’s concert via Internet.  

    Slopeside, from Boulder, formed in 2005 and is known for performing classic and contemporary rock.  This 5-piece band also has an original song set, thanks to front man Arn Current. Slopeside has played all across Colorado, from the ski resorts to Little Bear, from Thunder Mountain to Herman’s Hideaway in Denver. Visit www.slopesidemusic.com for a preview.

    “The two bands we have are great,” Lovario said. “The headliner, Slopeside, has been playing around Colorado for quite a while and they’re an amazing group. And Jack is only 12, to me that is absolutely amazing.”

    Don’t miss this opportunity to see these up-and-coming talents while you can still afford the tickets, Lovario said. For information on this event, and upcoming events at the Armory, visit www.brightonarmory.org, or call 303-655-2026.

    “I can’t wait to see how the whole night is going to go,” she said. “I think it’s going to be absolutely amazing.”

    For information on Saturday’s concert or the Brighton Relay For Life, contact Lovario at 303-859-5954.