Drumathon Owain Wyn Evans

 Drumathon fundraiser to aid homeless 10-year-old

The story of Owain Wyn Evans has touched many people in the community and beyond. A talented 10-year old drummer whose family is on the verge of losing its home to foreclosure, an online campaign was started recently to help raise funds for him and his family.

As word of Owain's plight spread across the Internet, concerned people began making donations through paypal accounts set up by Santa Barbara resident Whitney Turner, who befriended Owain after meeting him at a drum circle at Goleta Beach.

Turner said she wants to help the family avoid foreclosure and keep its house, where Owain has enjoyed making music since he was 5 years old. He now plays regularly with his father, Tom Evans, at Goleta Beach Park. The online campaign -- http://tinyurl.com/owainscause -- also invites people to make donations through Turner's paypal account until March 1.

Turner said she was overwhelmed by the support for Owain after posting video of him playing on several websites devoted to musicians under 20 years old, including www.YouTube.com . "I figured out I could do an iPod fund-raiser because that's what I've done before," Turner said in a phone interview Friday from Los Angeles.

"I knew he had a lot of friends on Facebook, so I posted the links there...Within 24 hours it was getting 20 hits per minute."

The online campaign has raised more than $5,000 for Owain and his family. Turner said she expects donations to surpass $10,000 soon. "It's just gone bonkers," she added. "Every time my computer is down I panic because I think something is wrong with the PayPal account."

Turner said she knows several people personally who have lost their homes to foreclosure, including some in Montecito who are close friends of her parents' neighbors...

Turner said she wants to keep Owain's story in people's minds even after they've made their donations. "It's not just about the money," she said, "it's about telling Owain and his family how much we love them."