The DJ and the Suckness of Getting Old: A Fundraiser for Kathi Bond (aka DJ Scout)

The ‘golden age of Montrose’ is a moving target – anywhere from The Eighties to the Aughts, depending on who you talk to. There’s some folks that are sure there is no such thing, that nostalgia gets regularly reinvented, the same way the playlist on the oldies station keeps getting more recent, as what you think of as ‘oldies’ ages out. There was never a ‘golden age’ – just your own precious and self-serving memories.

But the people who were really there know better.

If you lived in Houston during the golden age of Montrose, however you define it, chances are you crossed paths with someone like DJ Scout. And if you were lucky, you got to know her.

Kathi Bond, aka DJ Scout, was one of the driving forces behind Montrose Radio, Earthwire.net, and countless other electric, chaotic, and unforgettable projects that made the neighborhood feel like something more than just a zip code. She helped create a space for music, for voices, for poets and visionaries, and helped turn it into a true community.

Now, Kathi is in the middle of a fight she didn’t see coming. She has been diagnosed with an aggressive, fast-moving cancer that has taken a serious toll in the eight months since she was first diagnosed. The physical and financial strain has been overwhelming. She is doing everything she can to hang on, and she should not have to do it alone.

This fundraiser is about helping her stay in her home, get the care she needs, and fight this thing with dignity and support. Kathi is the kind of person who would never ask for help, so we are doing it for her. This could happen to any of us. It could be just as unexpected, just as devastating. And even though many of us are dealing with current or expected financial hardships, many of us also have debts of friendship that extend over decades. To me, this is one of those debts.

If you have ever shared a sound booth, a stage, a mic, or just a good conversation with Kathi, please consider giving what you can. Even sharing this message helps.

Although many of you may want to reach out and wish Kathi well personally, her most recent setbacks have temporarily made it nearly impossible for her to speak without great difficulty. Please feel free to leave her a note here instead. She would love to read your words, and they will mean the world to her.

We may all be scattered now, but that does not mean the community we built is gone. Let’s show Kathi that some BONDS never break. Let’s give DJ Scout some deserved respect.

Suggested Giving Levels

$250 – Peace of mind for rent, utilities, or a medical bill

$100 – Home care and daily needs support

$50 – A week's worth of medication or supplies

$25 – A message of love and solidarity

Any amount – Every dollar makes a real difference

Matching Gift Opportunity

To kick things off, the first $500 in donations will be matched dollar for dollar by Mr and Mrs Mayor of Montrose. That means your gift today goes twice as far.

Expect more details as details emerge, feel free to reach out to The Mayor with any questions or if you have ideas for anything you’d like to do to help. And please accept my thanks for anything you are able to do.

Mark Martin

Former Executive Director

Earthwire.net

All funds raised through this campaign will go directly to Kathi to manage and use as she sees fit in her fight and recovery.