20 Fox Focus | Community
A Community ’ s Anthem for a Cure
By Jess Cavallaro
Sherri Todd , left , with musician Matt Davis , sharing a moment at the 3rd Annual Parkinstock — a play on “ Parkinson ’ s ” and “ Woodstock .”
In 2012 , eight longtime friends from Turlock , California — Sherri and Rob Todd , Tammy and Kyle Anderson , Eric and Monica Piedra , and Lisa and Jason Sanders — came together to support Sherri , who was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson ’ s at 35 . What began as a local walk in 2012 evolved into something much bigger — an annual music festival now known as Parkinstock , with the goal of raising funds for research through Team Fox , The Michael J . Fox Foundation ’ s grassroots community fundraising program .
When the pandemic hit in 2020 , disrupting traditional gatherings , the group needed to adapt their approach to fundraising . Driven by their deep sense of community and shared love of music , they collaborated with a local singer-songwriter and organized Music for a Cure , a five-hour livestream concert held in Kyle ’ s driveway in Turlock , raising over $ 4,500 .
The following year , their efforts doubled in scale , with more musicians , attendees and funds raised . Parkinstock was born .
“ The more we engaged with people about Parkinstock , the more we connected with families affected by Parkinson ’ s ,” says Kyle . “ Each conversation gave us more motivation to keep growing and really use music to find a cure !”
By 2022 , Parkinstock had found its home at Blaker Brewing Co . in Ceres , California , featuring six local musicians , a cornhole tournament , raffle prizes and even a special release beer . The event raised over $ 25,000 , more than doubling their previous efforts . In 2023 , the festival ’ s fundraising and size continued to double , raising $ 50,000 and showcasing nine artists over two days .
In 2024 , Parkinstock reached new heights , surpassing the six-figure mark with $ 136,000 raised since inception . As the event continues to grow , the community of Turlock and beyond comes together each year to support the cause , proving the profound impact of music and collective action . The success of Parkinstock 2024 has paved the way for an even brighter future , with bands already lined up to join this ever-expanding event next year .