Local band Mid Life Crisis will welcome warmer weather by jammin’ classic rock and blues hits this weekend at Brenau University’s amphitheater.

And it’s all for a good cause.

For the seventh year, the band made up of Gainesville professionals will help out Challenged Child and Friends with one of their biggest fundraisers of the year.

“We’re local businessmen and women that enjoy getting together and spending time together and being creative and when we can come forth together for our community in this kind of setting it’s just a lot of fun for us,” said Henry Troutman, drummer for Mid Life Crisis.

This will be the sixth year the Rock in the Spring event will be at the amphitheater. All proceeds will go to Challenged Child and Friends programs.

“It goes to help fund scholarships for children at Challenged Child, whether it is for them to attend the school and/or therapy services that they may need,” said Gail Schneider, fundraising coordinator for Challenged Child and Friends. “Last year we raised almost $50,000. Because of the economy we have actually reduced our prices for our tables and we hope to earn between $30,000 and $40,000 this year.”

Troutman said he loves playing the amphitheater because of its atmosphere.

“It is the most under-used venue in the city of Gainesville,” he said. “It’s like Gainesville’s own Chastain Park. It is a fabulous facility and a great place to play.”

Guests are encouraged to bring a picnic and their favorite beverages to the outdoor event, or food is available from Turnstile Deli.

“Turnstile has a menu on our Web site and they will deliver food if it’s ordered by (today),” Schneider said. Options from Turnstile are a chicken salad sandwich dinner with vegetable and pasta salad, fruit, cheese, crackers and pecan bars for $15.95; or barbecue pork baby back ribs, bread, coleslaw, beans, chips and a brownie for $16.95.

Troutman said this year’s performance will offer something a little different for concertgoers.

“We’re going to ask some people to come up out of the audience and sing with us, so it’s kind of a little bit of variety this year,” he said. “We’ll also spotlight Allen (Nivens) because he has some original material. Mid Life Crisis has some other spinoff bands like the Allen Nivens Band and then there’s the Square Docs Band, so we have an opportunity to play with different individuals that are rather talented.

“Donna Hubbard will come up and sing a couple of blues songs with us and all of the original members of the band will be there for the show.”

Members of the band, who have been together nine years, are lead vocalist and guitarist Nivens, guitarist Ron Bracewell, vocalist Michelle Alexander, bassist Karl Reising, Holt Harrison who also plays harmonica and guitar, guitarists Mike Gottsman and Bill Hallowes and on Ed Waller on keyboards.