Alice Cooper Returns on Good with his Solid Rock Teen Center
By Jay Kelly, Return on Good Co-Founder
I recently had the great pleasure to play a round of golf with rock legend, Alice Cooper. There aren't many people I have met in my lifetime that love the game of golf as much as Cooper. As he says, golf is an addiction. And Alice feeds that addiction as often as he can. While playing, Alice shared with me the story of Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers in Scottsdale, Arizona. The mission of these centers is to give teens in the Phoenix area a place to build confidence and allow for creativity through music, dance and self-expression. Anyone is welcome and Alice told me that he has a wide array of teens who show up to take advantage of this great facility. Alice’s mission is compelling, and it’s about unlocking potential that can easily be overlooked in today’s world. He told me: “The kid who is hanging out, making bad decisions, with the wrong friends could be the best painter or guitar player in the area.” The Solid Rock Teen Centers give teens the opportunity to find out. As we played golf, Alice reminded me that focusing on artistic expression has many benefits. Art takes your mind off of negative emotions and in addition, it allows you to express these feelings in a healthy way. If a teen is unable to talk about their feelings, or able to fully put their feelings into words, music and lyrics may help this process. As teenagers listen to music, they analyze the sounds and lyrics and start thinking creatively, with that thinking they become more self-aware. This is the incredible, unique service that Solid Rock provides for the teens of the Phoenix/Scottsdale area.
“The kid who is hanging out, making bad decisions, with the wrong friends could be the best painter or guitar player in the area.” - Rock Legend Alice Cooper, Founder of Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers
Alice is a legend in Rock & Roll. He has been a force in music since the 1970’s. Until they become involved with a center, many of these teenagers probably aren’t even aware of his hall of fame career and legendary status. From my time with Alice on the links, I don’t think he would have it any other way. His caring for other people and desire to give back (and a clear mission and strategy) are what drives him to continue to lead the center and give back. Return on Good believes that philanthropy should be strategic, purposeful and passionate. The Alice Cooper Solid Rock Teen Centers demonstrate that on a daily basis. We give them an ROG “A” Rating, and I’m honored to call Alice a friend.
You can learn learn more about the Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers and how to contribute here. Get in contact with them: randy@alicecoopersolidrock.com and https://www.instagram.com/alicecoopersolidrock/ To learn more about how to make your giving more strategic, and to set up a philanthropic plan that maximizes the joy in your giving, connect with Jay at Jay@returnongood.org.
