Loyola bands are giving more than just the gift of music this Christmas.

This Friday, 10 Loyola and New Orleans-based bands will put on the second annual “Nola Polar Express” show benefiting Children’s Hospital and Ochsner Medical Center. The show is located at The Howlin’ Wolf, where the entry fee is a toy donation or $10 to go toward the purchase of a toy.

According to music industry junior Molly Portier, who founded and organizes the event, the idea for the show came to her spontaneously last holiday season.

“It just kind of hit me how truly lucky I am to be able to create music and share it with others, so why not use it for something good? Why not give back through the art of music?” Portier, a vocalist and guitarist for The Wooden Wings, headliners for the show, said.

According to Portier, the event is put together entirely by Loyola student volunteers. The show’s lineup has grown from four bands in last year’s show to 10 bands this year, with groups playing in both the main room and the Den of The Howlin’ Wolf.

“I simply wanted to showcase the amazing raw, local talent we have here in Louisiana. We have bands from New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette joining us in support of the cause. It’s a solid lineup with a group of amazing

musicians,” Portier said.

This year, LUCAP got wind of the show and decided to donate $200 worth of toys for the cause according to Magin Maier, psychology senior and public relations chair for LUCAP.

“I personally volunteer at the oncology/hematology ward at Children’s Hospital, so this event is something that I definitely wanted to pursue. Unfortunately, a lot of the kids on the ward will be at the hospital over the holidays. It’s definitely not an ideal Christmas, but I know it would mean the world to these kids to have a surprise gift from someone outside of their immediate family,” Maier said.

For Portier, the joy that the children receive from the toys is what has brought her back to do

the show for another year and, hopefully, for years to come.

“Last year I was lucky enough to deliver the toys in person with a couple of fellow musicians, family and friends. I got to go from room to room on Christmas Eve and personally see every face and every smile. I got to shake hands and give hugs to their families. The feeling I got that day is something I can’t really describe. It was surreal seeing how strong these kids are and how thankful they were for what we had done. It puts a lot of things into perspective. It showed me the true meaning of Christmas,” Portier said.

Shannon Donaldson can be reached at [email protected]