In 1997, Phish established the Waterwheel Foundation nonprofit organization and over the past 25 years, the charity organization “has raised over $9 million and supported more than 500 nonprofits from coast to coast.” In recognition of the Waterwheel Foundation’s 25th anniversary, the members of Phish – Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Page McConnell and Jon Fishman – recorded a video detailing the importance of the organization and its legacy.
As noted in the video’s description, “The Waterwheel Foundation was launched alongside Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food ice cream on March 18, 1997 as a way for Phish to donate ice cream royalties to benefit the environmental well-being of Lake Champlain. Later that year, WaterWheel joined Phish on tour to raise money for non-profits in areas where the band performed and the foundation quickly solidified its place within the fan community.”
“Waterwheel is the best idea that we ever had,” Fishman says in the video. “In the end, I think Waterwheel will be the most important thing that this band leaves behind.”
Watch Trey, Mike, Page and Fish celebrate 25 years of Phish’s Waterwheel Foundation in the video below:
On its 20th anniversary, Phish shared highlights of the March 18, 1997 concert at The Flynn Theatre in Burlington, Vermont. Beginning with an introduction from Ben & Jerry’s Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the compilation featured “NICU,” “Sample In A Jar” and “Punch You In The Eye,” “Harry Hood,” saxophonist Dave “The Truth” Grippo and trombonist James Harvey sitting-in on “Cars Trucks Buses” and “Character Zero,” as well as guest vocalist Tammy Fletcher helping sing a cover of “I Told You So.” Listen here:
