UNIQUE WAY TO RAISE FUNDS — Marc Barnes and his 5-month-old son, Felix, took a break from the heat this week on the front steps of the Harmonium Project’s new headquarters on South Fourth Street in Steubenville. The building, which was donated to them, is in desperate need of a new roof, so on Friday the group’s members will tackle a novel fundraiser — playing the same very long, constantly evolving song for 24 hours. The event will be broadcast live on the group’s Facebook page, with donations accepted at fundly.com/put-a-roof-on-it-2. The group hopes to raise $10,000. -- Linda Harris

STEUBENVILLE — The Harmonium Project is about to begin what in many ways is its most ambitious fundraising project yet: A 24-hour-long jam session.

A core group of six or seven musicians, aided and abetted by some willing walk-ons, will be playing one song — one very long, constantly evolving song — beginning at 8 p.m. today in hopes of raising the $10,000 they desperately need to put a roof on their new headquarters, a building on South Fourth Street that was donated to them.

The marathon music-making session will be live-streamed on the Harmonium Project’s Facebook page. Anyone who wants to help can go to the group’s fundly page (fundly.com/put-a-roof-on-it-2), and make a donation. For a fee, fans can even suggest additions to the merriment, like inserting a particular lyric, requesting a saxophone solo or a lullaby or even making one of the musicians play the didgeridoo or a jaw harp.

Organizer Marc Barnes said once they get started the music will go on, no matter who walks in, walks out or passes out from lack of sleep. Volunteers will drop by to lend a hand, whether it’s by picking up an instrument, singing or assisting with the technical side of the event.

Adding to the craziness: They’ll be changing locations periodically.

“This will be a traveling show,” Barnes said. “We plan on playing at Leonardo’s (coffee house), maybe on the Market Street Bridge, down here at the barber shop and in the Kroger lot or marching up and down Fourth Street.

“It is a little crazy,” he said. “But we’re hoping people will be interested, they’ll see the craziness of it and want to give their support.”

Barnes said the core group of musicians are mostly jazz trained, “and they’re used to improvisation and changing it up on the fly.”

“At no point will the song be the same,” he added. “It will be a kind of ever-evolving masterpiece.”

Without a new roof, Barnes said they can’t begin to do the work necessary to make their new home usable. It had previously housed Val Iachini’s hair salon, and the family has deeded it to the Harmonium Project. Iachini died in November 2016 at the age of 82.

“They knew they were either going to give it to us or tear it down,” Barnes said. “We thought if we had a chance to save a Steubenville property, that’s what we’re all about — building places up, not tearing them down.”

Barnes said the group is anxious to “make good on our commitment.”

He said the house, which dates to about 1894, retains much of its character, though it needs a lot of work: The floors are original, and it also boasts several fireplaces and Craftsman-styled built-ins.

The interior, like the exterior, is “a complete mess,” he added.

“We did some initial gutting but, until we get a new roof on, there’s really no point in putting anything in because (the roof leaks and) it’s just going to get wet,” he said. “Our hope is to raise $10,000 and raise it quick so we can get to work on improving the south end of Fourth Street.

“A lot of our focus has been in the North End, where our First Fridays on Fourth are held,” Barnes added. “We like to think of ourselves as embracing the entire downtown right now. We’re hoping this will kick-start things.”