“Our community is large and wildly diverse, which is at the same time our strength and our weakness. #Activate10 is a movement seeking to increase communication between individuals and organizations across Fremont County and to promote positive action in our communities.”
(Lander, WY) – The Lander community is coming together to show their unwavering support for a Lander local, Jordan Carr, through “Dear Jordan, Love Lander,” a fundraising event that aims to ease Carr’s financial burden during his upcoming medical journey.
In October, Carr received an unexpected diagnosis of a rare brain tumor. As Carr faces intensive treatment, the community is uniting to demonstrate solidarity with him as he confronts the challenges that lie ahead. Orchestrated by Mei Ratz, Kris Hampton, Oakley Boycott, and Amara Fehring, with support from the Houlihan Narratives team, the event seeks to generate funds for both Carr and his partner, Sara, helping to cover some of their medical and travel expenses.
“I knew I had a good team to call upon with the Houlihan team, so I texted a handful of people I knew cared about Jordan and who are great at what they do, and within 2 hours of texting, we had this event in the works,” said Ratz, a close friend of Jordan’s and lead organizer.
“The primary goals of the Dear Jordan fundraising event are to throw an amazing storytelling event and concert that makes as much money as possible to send to Jordan as a symbol of our community standing alongside him,” she continued.
The Houlihan Narratives is a live storytelling event and podcast based in Lander and started by Amy, Hannah, and Anatolya Skinner. The Houlihan Narratives team believes in the power of stories to move, challenge, inspire, heal, and unite us as a community.
“Jordan shows up for this community over and over and over,” said Ratz. “So when I heard that he was going to be embarking on a very stressful and intensive medical journey, I knew our community would rise to meet him.”
Carr, a Lander native, has contributed significantly to Lander as an artist, performer, producer, and co-host of the “Dear Lander” podcast. “Dear Jordan, Love Lander” combines storytelling, performances, and a concert to celebrate Carr’s artistic spirit and profound impact on the community.
“The theme is “Life Imitates Art”, which we chose because Jordan is an artist in every sense of the word, and puts his heart and life into his art,” said Hampton, producer of The Houlihan Narratives podcast. “The speakers and performers can interpret that any way they choose. Most of the folks you’ll see have some direct tie to Jordan, and I suspect we’ll all be nudging our performances and stories in that direction. One of the most beautiful things is that we don’t really know what to expect.”
Co-coordinator and artist liaison Oakley Boycott said Carr has collaborated with, been influenced, or inspired by the artists performing in Dear Jordan. The team wanted to bring to life an evening filled with artists that directly represent the mixture of humanity Carr himself expresses with such vibrance as an individual.
“The selection process focused on individuals with a heart connection to Jordan, representing the diverse creative mosaic of Lander,” said Boycott. “Each performer brings a unique perspective, reflecting the vibrant, creative diversity of the community. We chose who we chose because we knew they would show up for this phenomenal human being they love and care for so deeply.”
Performers, musicians, and storytellers include Pushroot, Red Dangit, Wolf Johnson, Dinwoody Music, Kris Hampton, Oakley Boycott, Christian Wallowingbull, Chanthy Foy, Chuck Carr, Monte Richardson, Angie Flint, and Todd Guenther.
“Dear Jordan, Love Lander” will be on December 9th at 6 pm in the Carnegie Room at the Lander Library. The evening will include a live auction and snacks. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at the Houlihan Narratives website or the door, subject to availability. All proceeds will go directly to Carr and his partner Sara.
For those unable to attend the event, a GoFundMe campaign has been set up to accept donations for Jordan’s medical expenses. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a meaningful difference.