Hey everyone!

I'm raising money for my uncle, Bernard Lyons, who took a serious fall on black ice during last month's winter storm. He dislocated his right ankle and fractured it in multiple places. He also suffered ligament damage.

After a one week hospitalization and a four hour surgery,where doctors installed three permanent plates and rods, medical bills at this point are estimated to be around $40,000 and that is not the final total.

Bernard was working full time at the bar and booking the live music program at Racers Cafe in Parkville. He is not able to bartend at all until at least mid-April which means losing most of his income while medications,more hospital visits plus rent,regular bills and living expenses incur more expense.

Bernard came to Baltimore from the UK in 1999 and has been active in the regional music scene since then. He has organized thousands of concerts at multiple venues around the city featuring local, regional and international artists in the jazz and improvised music scene. Bernard has won multiple awards from City Paper and Baltimore Magazine, and curated the multi-award winning Creative Differences series for over 10 years. Bernard previously worked at Bertha's for 19 years where he expanded the music program to include visiting artists from the DMV area and beyond.

In 2021, he started at Racers Cafe where he has since created opportunities for regional blues and roots artists to connect with a new and expanding audience in northeast Baltimore and Parkville. Racers Cafe is now recognized as a valuable addition to the DMV live music scene with over 100 free concerts a year.

Bernard has brought all of us together to share and enjoy the music and each other over the years in Baltimore and beyond. Let's come together for him this time and show him some big love. Thank you thank you for your support.

With love,

Eliza