"A single event can awaken within us a stranger totally unknown to us.
To live is to slowly be born."
FOUNDER, MELISSA MATTHEWS ATTENDED SIDNEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FROM K THRU 5 AND IN THE MIDDLE OF HER 6TH GRADE YEAR MOVED TO UNADILLA WHERE SHE WOULD GRADUATE FROM UNATEGO IN 2001. BETWEEN 2001 AND SPRING OF 2008 MELISSA SPENT HER TIME LIVING AND WORKING IN THE UNADILLA AND SIDNEY AREAS. MELISSA RELOCATED TO AFTON IN 2008 WHEN SHE LEFT A JOB IN RETAIL MANAGEMENT TO TAKE ON THE POSITION OF ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR A RETIRED NEW YORK CITY CORRECTIONAL OFFICER WHO WAS OPERATING SISTER VENUES, CHENANGO VALLEY RANCH AND THE NEW ECHO LAKE RESORT & CAMPGROUND.
THE EVENT SCENE MELISSA WAS BROUGHT IN TO COORDINATE WAS NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY HAVING GROWN UP DAUGHTER TO LOCAL DRUMMER, LEON MATTHEWS, LITTLE MELISSA WAS OFTEN IN TOW WITH WHICHEVER BAND DAD WAS PERFORMING IN THROUGHOUT HER CHILDHOOD. THE ONLY OF LEON'S FIVE CHILDREN TO NOT CATCH "THE MUSIC BUG," MELISSA WAS ALWAYS MORE OF A POET AND LYRICIST; BEING A NATURAL LEADER AND ORGANIZER, MELISSA GAINED THE TITLE OF "FAMILY SECRETARY."
FROM ROADIE, TO MANAGER, TO PRODUCER, MELISSA HAS WORN MANY HATS IN FAMILY LIFE AND THROUGHOUT HER CAREERS IN BOTH MANAGEMENT AND EVENTS. AFTER EXPERIENCING SUCH EVENTS AS RUSSIAN ROCK FEST, ORB FESTIVAL, HEADY FEST, SUMMER SANCTUARY, DIRTY FEST, RESPECT GATHERING AND MORE; MEL'S TRUE PASSION BECOME EVIDENT, SHE REALLY FOUND GREAT JOY IN SIMPLY BRINGING PEOPLE (AND THINGS) TOGETHER!
2015 THRU 2018 MELISSA'S FOCUS SHIFTED TO BUILDING ONES-SELF DESIGN & PRODUCTIONS AND CREATING NEW BUSINESSES 6ZER07 ADVERTISING CONCEPTS AND 813 THREADS. HAVING JOINED THE GREATER AFTON AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN 2016 AND TAKING ON THE AFTON SIDEWALK DAY EVENT IN 2017, THE PASSION FOR BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER BEGAN TO REIGNITE! NOW, MORE THAN EVER MELISSA IS READY TO TAKE THE LEAD AT PRODUCING QUALITY, YET AFFORDABLE (AND SOMETIMES EVEN FREE) EVENTS IN THE GREATER AFTON AREA.
NOW 36, STILL RESIDING IN AFTON, MELISSA OPERATES SEVERAL BUSINESSES AND PROGRAMS IN THE SIX ZERO SEVEN AND SITS AS THE VP OF THE GAACOC. YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW HER AND LAUGH ALONG WITH THE MASSES :)
THE EVENT SCENE MELISSA WAS BROUGHT IN TO COORDINATE WAS NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY HAVING GROWN UP DAUGHTER TO LOCAL DRUMMER, LEON MATTHEWS, LITTLE MELISSA WAS OFTEN IN TOW WITH WHICHEVER BAND DAD WAS PERFORMING IN THROUGHOUT HER CHILDHOOD. THE ONLY OF LEON'S FIVE CHILDREN TO NOT CATCH "THE MUSIC BUG," MELISSA WAS ALWAYS MORE OF A POET AND LYRICIST; BEING A NATURAL LEADER AND ORGANIZER, MELISSA GAINED THE TITLE OF "FAMILY SECRETARY."
FROM ROADIE, TO MANAGER, TO PRODUCER, MELISSA HAS WORN MANY HATS IN FAMILY LIFE AND THROUGHOUT HER CAREERS IN BOTH MANAGEMENT AND EVENTS. AFTER EXPERIENCING SUCH EVENTS AS RUSSIAN ROCK FEST, ORB FESTIVAL, HEADY FEST, SUMMER SANCTUARY, DIRTY FEST, RESPECT GATHERING AND MORE; MEL'S TRUE PASSION BECOME EVIDENT, SHE REALLY FOUND GREAT JOY IN SIMPLY BRINGING PEOPLE (AND THINGS) TOGETHER!
2015 THRU 2018 MELISSA'S FOCUS SHIFTED TO BUILDING ONES-SELF DESIGN & PRODUCTIONS AND CREATING NEW BUSINESSES 6ZER07 ADVERTISING CONCEPTS AND 813 THREADS. HAVING JOINED THE GREATER AFTON AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN 2016 AND TAKING ON THE AFTON SIDEWALK DAY EVENT IN 2017, THE PASSION FOR BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER BEGAN TO REIGNITE! NOW, MORE THAN EVER MELISSA IS READY TO TAKE THE LEAD AT PRODUCING QUALITY, YET AFFORDABLE (AND SOMETIMES EVEN FREE) EVENTS IN THE GREATER AFTON AREA.
NOW 36, STILL RESIDING IN AFTON, MELISSA OPERATES SEVERAL BUSINESSES AND PROGRAMS IN THE SIX ZERO SEVEN AND SITS AS THE VP OF THE GAACOC. YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW HER AND LAUGH ALONG WITH THE MASSES :)