Hello, Freeman Sound Family:

Let's rewind and relive the moments that shaped our colletive M.I.N.D_S.E.T. in 2025.

The volume was turned up for sure — 2025 came through with rhythm, resilience, and undeniable impact.

From beachside beats to lantern-lit remembrance, from creative community circles to youth empowerment, freemansound.org has been dancing at the intersection of music, mental health, and meaningful change.

It was your energy that helped us amplify awareness, delete stigmas, and support life‑saving mental health initiatives across our community.

We kicked off 2025 with a milestone moment—our first official check presentation $1,500 to Boley Centers Inc., honoring their Boley on Broadway program.

For 55 years, Boley Centers has been a beacon of hope, transforming lives through mental health support, housing, and empowerment. Standing beside them reminded us why we do this work: community care is a shared rhythm, and every beat matters.

SOUND WAVES: M.I.N.D_S.E.T. CONCERT

On May 3, Clearwater Beach Pier 60 Park became our dance floor as we stepped into our annual Sound Waves M.I.N.D_S.E.T. Concert—a full‑spectrum celebration of sunshine, mushroom jazz, movement, and mental wellness.

Featuring:

• Linda — opening the day with Yoga + Beats by Austen van der Bleek, grounding us in breath, intention, and embodied joy.
• DJ JASK & Austen van der Bleek — setting the shoreline on fire with a dynamic fusion of sound. Austen brought the funk and soul, weaving grooves that felt like sunshine moving through the crowd. JASK followed with a lush downtempo set, smoothing the edges of the afternoon with warm, melodic textures that invited everyone to sway, soften, and settle into the rhythm of the beach. Together, they created a sonic arc that lifted the energy, held the community, and prepared us for the magic to come.
• Mark Farina — our legendary headliner who carried us into sunset with that Mushroom Jazz magic — turned Clearwater Beach into a living, breathing soundscape. His set wasn't just music; it was a frequency shift. Each groove felt like a grounding breath, each transition a reminder that healing can be joyful, playful, and communal.

SOUND WAVES wasn't just a concert—it was an immersive beach party, a collective exhale, and a reminder that joy is a powerful form of healing.

Thank you to our SOUND WAVES volunteers: Vicky Van Winkle, VFW volunteers, Barry and Sandra Robinson, Madison Thayer, and Adrian Rivera.

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Thanks to your support, we were able to raise funds for our local VFW Post 2550 and their mission to prevent suicide among Veterans. On May 16, we were proud to present a $500 check to help provide life‑saving outreach and mental health resources for those who have served.

CHILLTRONIC TAKEOVER

History Made at Clearwater Jazz Holiday

For the first time in 46 years, on October 17, Clearwater Jazz Holiday welcomed DJs to the stage—and freemansound.org was honored to help make it happen. A heartfelt thank you to Steve and the CJH team for inviting the DJs and partnering with us to bring this moment to life.

Featuring:

• Austen van der Bleek — opened the portal with his Astro Jazz, a cosmic blend of retro celestial house and jazz‑infused fusion. His set felt like dancing on shimmering waves as he guided the crowd through a constellation of grooves that honored jazz's roots while boldly stretching its spirit into the future.
• DJ JASK— served up his Martini Jazz with the elegance and finesse only he can deliver. Smooth, soulful, and irresistibly danceable, his set poured over the crowd like a perfectly mixed cocktail — crisp highs, warm lows, and a groove that lingered long after the final track. JASK didn't just play music; he curated a mood, a moment, a memory.

Together, their sets transformed the CJH stage into a sonic lounge under the open sky. In this place, jazz met electronica, where legacy met innovation, where the community felt the thrill of something both familiar and entirely new.

Our Chilltronic Takeover wasn't just a performance; it was a statement. A celebration of evolution. A reminder that music is a living organism — constantly growing, expanding, and always ready to welcome new talent into the lineage.

This partnership helped support CJH's youth education and outreach programs, empowering the next generation of musicians and creators.

CREATIVES SUPPORT GROUP

This year, we deepened our commitment to community wellness by launching the Creatives Support Group, hosted at the welcoming Suite E Studios.

Mission: To create a safe, supportive space where creatives can share experiences, overcome mental and social barriers, and nurture their artistic potential.

Facilitated by: Gustavo J. Cuadra, MD — psychiatrist, music lover, and advocate for creative wellness.

A Word from Gustavo J. Cuadra, MD

Music always communicated to me. That is why I knew I had to incorporate music into my career as a psychiatrist. As a community physician, my role is to evaluate (make a diagnosis) and treat (recommend ways to reduce uncomfortable symptoms). Psychiatry is advancing in understanding how imaging (such as CT) and blood markers can suggest a diagnosis. Clinicians' primary tool for evaluation remains communication between the doctor and the patient. I never needed to write my own music to understand that music helped me relate to feeling happy, sad, or anything in between - even beyond. I have always understood as well that music also helped me relate to others in both empathic and sympathetic ways. In fact, it has been a common experience for me to find that music can express how I feel better than my own words can. I know I am not alone; therefore, music can help me better understand some patients. But music has another superpower. Everyone knows, regardless of whether one is a music fan or not, that a song can change one's mood. Therefore, I can use it as a tool or remedy to ease uncomfortable feelings or thoughts within a non-medication strategy that can be customized. With the Creatives Support Group, I hope to foster the beautiful minds that allow me to use and personally benefit from the incredible wonder that is music."

Happy and prosperous New Year,

Gustavo J. Cuadra, MD

Dunedin Walks for Mental Health:

Loop Into The Light: A Sunset Lantern Walk

As the sun dipped behind the Dunedin horizon on November 22, our lanterns rose—each one honoring a life, a memory, a story. This year's Dunedin Walks for Mental Health: Sunset Lantern Walk was nothing short of magical. Over 150 walkers came together in unity, carrying lanterns of hope and remembrance.

Led by the powerful sounds of the Dunedin High School Bagpipers, we walked in ceremony and solidarity. Each step is a tribute to resilience, healing, and connection.

This year, we walked in loving memory of Chelsea Christine Gow — carrying her light with us in every step, letting her spirit illuminate the path ahead. We continue to hold Vice Mayor Jeff Gow, his wife Carin, and their daughter Lindsey gently in our hearts, surrounding them with compassion and solidarity as they move through their grief.

With Deep Gratitude To:

• Commissioner Rob Walker
• Mayor Moe Freaney
• Dunedin City Commissioners & Staff
• Dunedin Chamber of Commerce
• Dunedin Parks & Recreation
• Fenway Hotel
• Our volunteers: Ben Flack, John Gregg, Tisa Caron, Kelly Carter‑Feller
• Lindsay Marshall (Band Boosters President of Dunedin High School) and staff
• Luke Savage (Band Director of Dunedin High School)
• James Kiblinger (Principal of Dunedin High School)
• Dunedin High School Pipe Band & Highland Dancer

Because of your generosity, freemansound.org proudly presented $2,500 to the Band Boosters of Dunedin High School—fueling young musicians with the support they deserve.

M.I.N.D_S.E.T. RESET

At freemansound.org, we believe in practicing what we preach. This year, we nourished our own mental wellness by immersing ourselves in live shows that lifted our spirits and recharged our frequencies — what we like to call a M.I.N.D_S.E.T. Reset. Every live music event reminded us why we do this work: music connects, restores, and transforms, offering the same healing we strive to bring to our community.

• Khruangbin — The Sound, Clearwater
• Glass Animals — Florida Amphitheatre, Tampa
• Miles (bebop_talk), Sound Bites Vol. 2 at Suite E. Studios, St. Pete
• Pachyman & MNDSGN — The Grey Eagle, North Carolina
• David Byrne — Fox Theater, Atlanta, Ga
• Kaleo — Red Rocks, CO.
• Skinshape — Bayboro Brewing, St. Pete, FL

A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Core Community

To our Core Community — Austen van der Bleek, JASK, Bri Dine, Rob Morey, Faye Constant, Vicky Van Winkle, and Ben Flack — thank you for being the heartbeat of freemansound.org since the very beginning. You have shown up not only with your talent, but with your spirit, your creativity, and your unwavering love.

Through your DJ sets, your guidance, your event coordination, your visual artistry, your video and photography, and your constant support, you have helped shape this movement into what it is today. You've held space with us, dreamed with us, built with us, and believed in the mission.

Your dedication has carried us through every milestone, every challenge, and every celebration. You are more than collaborators — you are family. And this work, this impact, this community would not exist without the light each of you brings.

To our sponsors and donors, thank you for standing with us in profound and practical ways — for fueling our mission, expanding our reach, and ensuring that every step we take toward destigmatizing mental illness is supported by a foundation of generosity and shared belief. Your contributions make this work possible, sustainable, and deeply felt across our community.

Thank you for walking beside us, lifting us, and helping us create a world where music, movement, and mental wellness come together in powerful, transformative ways.

Goodbye 2025

Check out freemansound.org's Tinsel Town playlist. It is more than a playlist — it's a M.I.N.D_S.E.T. reset. We invite you to immerse yourself in these frequencies where music meets mental health. Let this playlist remind you: joy is revolutionary, and healing can be festive. Listen now. Celebrate always! Curated to uplift, honor, and destigmatize mental illness — one track at a time. Listen on Spotify or Apple Music.

And if these sounds resonate with you, explore more of our curated playlists on Spotify and Apple Music, each crafted with intention to support your wellness journey.

Because of You!

Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for the rhythm, resilience, and radiant support you've shared with us this year. Together, we've expanded community awareness, danced under open skies, lifted one another through creativity and connection, and strengthened the collective heartbeat behind our mission to destigmatize mental illness and help prevent suicide.

From presenting our first checks of the year to Boley Centers and VFW Post 2550, to igniting Clearwater Beach with Sound Waves, to making history at Clearwater Jazz Holiday, to holding space for creatives at Suite E Studios, to illuminating Dunedin with lanterns of remembrance—you have been the pulse behind every moment.

As we step forward, we carry the light of every life honored, every story shared, and every beat that brought us together. Thank you for walking, dancing, breathing, and believing with us.

Here's to a new year filled with connection, courage, and the transformative power of sound. Together, we continue to shine hope into the places that need it most.

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​Support Our M.I.N.D_S.E.T. SERIES​

Reflections from Our Founder, President, and CEO, Sarah McAdoo

We started 2025 right out of the gate. We were thrilled to make our very first community donation to Boley Centers. We worked diligently with the City of Clearwater to present SOUND WAVES, an immersive beach party featuring downtempo electronica with Mark Farina. We launched the Creatives Support Group at Suite E Studios with Gustavo Cuadra, MD. We brought the first two DJs—Austen and Jask—to ever perform at the Clearwater Jazz Festival in its 46-year history, while also preparing for Dunedin Walks for Mental Health.

As the year flew by, we began to see the results of our mission. I didn’t realize it at the time, but every event led us to Dunedin Walks for Mental Health. I was not prepared for the impact of the walk.

As I reflect on our Loop Into the Light sunset lantern walk, I am still overwhelmed by the number of people who joined us on Saturday, November 22, for International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day. Despite taking place immediately after Dunedin’s annual Celtic Music and Craft Beer Festival, more than 150 people came together to walk as a community, to offer support, and to honor those we’ve lost.

The sound of the pipers, drummers, and the Scottish dancer had a unique and unexpected effect on me. I grew up in Dunedin, played the bagpipes, and competed as a dancer in the very first Highland Games at Dunedin High School. Hearing the pipers and drummers lead our walk down Edgewater Drive brought me back to a simpler time in my life. It was emotional, grounding, and humbling—wrapped in memories of my childhood.

Some of the faces were familiar; many were not. I had prepared notes for a short speech before the walk, but as I looked out at the growing line of people waiting for their lanterns, my focus shifted. I found myself wondering how many of those standing before me had been personally touched by suicide. I once believed I was part of a very small, private, unseen group—those who had lost loved ones to suicide. I was wrong. So many people shared their stories with me that evening. The reality is, this group is far larger than I ever imagined—and it continues to grow.

It was that knowing—that shared understanding—that pulled my heart toward Chelsea Christine Gow and her family. I didn’t know Chelsea personally, but I didn’t have to. I know this loss. I was deeply moved by the strength and compassion of our small community, which always seems to do big things. Together, we held space in our hearts for the Gow family, even as many of us quietly carried the weight of our own losses.

The evening brought me back to a place I usually keep hidden. It is fragile and private, and I protect it. This is where I hold my love for Kyle—images in my mind of his birth, his childhood, his dreams, his humor and laughter, his talent, his frequency, his disappointments, his beauty, and his pain. All of it. In that space, there is only love.

When you lose a child or a loved one in this way, the world becomes unrecognizable. You hold onto that love with everything you have, because it’s the only thing that feels real. Your mind shifts in ways you never knew were possible. When the grief becomes too heavy to bear, your body carries it for you—the exhaustion, the heaviness, the disbelief, the neurological chaos that trauma creates.

I remember those early days vividly. Time moved strangely. My body went through the motions—coffee, laundry, cooking, caring for my family—while my mind drifted elsewhere, trying to survive. I counted the hours until I could crawl into bed and, hopefully, sleep.

Grief like this doesn’t fade; it changes shape, color, and intensity. It lives within you, beyond you, alongside you. I often felt like a shapeshifter—my mind slipping into another dimension while my body remained where the pain lived.

If you know someone who has recently experienced loss, please check in. Text. If they’re up to it, sit with them. Listen. Be patient and kind. Say the name of their loved one. Everyone’s grief is unique, but one thing is certain: it’s a long journey, one that reshapes life in unimaginable ways. Genuine human connection can offer healing, but it cannot be rushed or forced. Those experiencing grief determine the timetable—the desire to connect, to go out, to rest, or to be alone. These boundaries must be honored.
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Freemansound.org was created from love. This is our family's way of paying it forward to help our community. We honor Kyle and all who have lost loved ones to suicide. The conversation and movement are gaining momentum, and we realize you are a large part of it. We are grateful that you follow us on social media, attend our events, and walk with us. Your support means everything.

From our hearts to yours, Happy New Year.

As we say at freemansound.org:

Say the word.

Save a life.

Suicide.

“Are you thinking about suicide?”

Stay tuned for exciting M.I.N.D_S.E.T. events coming in 2026.

We plan to blow your mindset.

Sarah McAdoo

Founder, President, and CEO

Dunedin Jr. High School 1969

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