Wilson Van family band holds St. Petersburg benefit concert for Gold Star families, homeless veterans

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla - The family band Wilson Van held a benefit concert and silent auction Sunday night at Fergs Bar in St. Petersburg to raise money for veterans and Gold Star families. 

The event brought the community together to support grassroots organizations dedicated to honoring fallen service members and providing emergency aid to local veterans.

St. Petersburg benefit concert

Wilson Van is a family band made up of FOX 13's Mark Wilson and his two brothers, actor Patrick Wilson and business owner Paul Wilson. The band held their concert and silent auction at Fergs Bar in St. Petersburg to support the Gold Star Fathers of Florida and Homeless Outreach in Tampa.

Family members said the money raised during the event will keep their ongoing missions moving forward. 

Michele Carey, who co-founded Gold Star Fathers of Florida alongside her husband, emphasized the importance of remembrance. 

"A person can die twice, once when they are actually killed or die, and the other time is when their names are forgotten," Michele Carey said. "So, we don't ever want the names to be forgotten."

Family legacy and history

The backstory:

The co-founders started the benefit organization in 2012 to offer specialized support to grieving fathers. 

"We founded our organization in 2012 originally to be an outreach for fathers of the fallen, because sometimes the dads get forgotten and we didn't want that to happen," Don Carey said.

The inspiration for the group came after the loss of their son, Marine Corp. Cpl. Barton Russell Humlhanz, who died in 2004 while serving in Iraq. Despite facing separate health struggles years later, the founders remained committed to their cause. "We had some health issues in 2020 and, despite everything, we just reached deep, and we knew how hard Bart fought to live, and we keep fighting to honor his effort," Don Carey said. 

The organization has since expanded to serve all members of the Gold Star community.

Support for military families

Local perspective:

Board member Dean Coleman shared how much the community support means after losing his own son. Justin Dean Coleman, an Army specialist in the 10th Mountain Division, died while serving in Afghanistan in 2009. 

"It means a lot. It helps keep his name alive," Coleman said. "It helps a lot of his friends that still have bad problems and that helps people with PTSD. It does help a lot a people."

The Careys noted that having financial backing from a band like Wilson Van drastically expands their local outreach capabilities. 

"The money is huge for us because we know that we're going to be able to continue to help more," Michele Carey said. "We've also helped with children's Christmas presents for Gold Star children at Christmastime, so it means a lot to be able to keep going because it's not always easy."

The event also raised funds for Tampa Homeless Outreach. The organization works to locate and identify homeless veterans, helping them find emergency shelter and securing necessities to improve their overall quality of life.

Fundraising results

The concert raised Gold Star Fathers of Tampa Bay $10,000 and Tampa Homeless Outreach $10,000 and raised about $10k more for our foundation’s college arts scholarships. 

"We’re honored to remember and honor all of our vets this weekend, especially those who have given the ultimate sacrifice," shared Mark Wilson, FOX13 anchor and lead guitarist and band leader. "We also deeply appreciate Ferg’s owner Mark Ferguson for donating his venue and partnering with us."

What you can do:

Click here to learn more about how to support Gold Star Fathers of Florida. 

Click here to learn more about Tampa Homeless Outreach. 

St. PetersburgVeterans