VINELAND -- At the moment, Noah Cook and his family are a lot like the music he prefers -- upbeat.

With senior year only about a week away for the 17-year-old, he and his family are guaranteeing Cook will be hitting the books at Vineland High School like always when classes begin."Noah will definitely be there on the first day -- he won't accept anything else," said his mother, Victoria Cook. "He's so excited."

Thanks to six musical acts that donated their talent at a benefit concert for the teen Saturday night, the family is closer to their goal to buy him the new wheelchair and van needed to get him there. The charity show held at Fuel House Coffee Co. on Landis Avenue was billed as "Flying High for Noah Cook" and is one of a series of fundraisers the Cooks have held throughout the city in recent weeks. Already, they've raised more than $20,000. Cook has a rare bone disorder, osteogenesis imperfecta, and needs a special motorized wheelchair to get anywhere."For him, that's his legs," his mother said. On July 16, the teen was heading to dinner with his sister and mother when their van was struck by a driver who ran a stop sign, according to police. The crash totaled the van and Cook's wheelchair, causing multiple fractures to the teen's arms, legs and skull. Up until last week, he has been confined to a hospital bed in the bedroom of his Vineland home. Cook's old wheelchair was repaired but deemed "not safety guaranteed" by the manufacturer, so the Cooks said they need a new one, as well as a wheelchair-accessible minivan with a lift. Cook can get around the house in his old wheelchair, but the family said he needs a new one, preferably a Permobil 450 SL Tilt in Space, which can recline, raise, lower and turn on a dime.

Cook couldn't make it to the show himself Saturday night because the family still doesn't have safe transportation, though the performances were videotaped for him to check out later. "The last thing he said before I left was that he wishes he could go," Victoria Cook said. But she was there, as well as her husband and Noah's father, Les Cook; Noah's sister, Megan Martin; her husband, Herschell Martin; and Noah's former algebra teacher and family friend, Deneen DePre. The family's goal is to raise $90,000. Of that, $30,000 will go toward the chair and $60,000 for a van. The family said they were about a third of the way there, somewhere in the high $20,000s, as of Saturday. Proceeds from Saturday's concert had not been totaled as of Sunday. Last week, nonprofit group The Dream Foundation donated $5,000, the fund's biggest gift to date. Cook's sensitive bone condition makes it hazardous to ride on a regular school bus because of the bumps, which could break one of his bones. His mother or sister have driven him to school in the past and plan to do so again this school year.

Doris Dallett, a Vineland school aide, has watched Cook grow up since he was in elementary school."We're all blessed in knowing Noah," Dallett said. "He's a miracle. All I can tell you is his signature is his laugh. It starts in his stomach and is simply contagious."Dallett's son, Jim, plays lead guitar in an established hard-rock band, Bound By Nothing, so she thought what better way to raise money than rock music. Jim Dallett, a 1988 VHS graduate, said he feels for Cook's struggle, being from the same school. He and his band mates took the time to pay Cook a visit last week, hooking him up with such gear as a CD, signed poster and signed drum skin. >The band signed drumsticks Saturday night at the show for Cook, as well.

"He has a special personality," Jim Dallett said. "A special smile and aura you don't see."

For the coffee shop venue, the hard rockers ditched the electrics and went unplugged for their first-ever live acoustic performance in the band's two-year history.

"We wanted to do something special, something different for tonight," Dallett said.

Bound By Nothing headlined the show that also featured local acts David Earl, Bread N' Butta, Rob Smith, Peanut Butter Lovesickle and Lois & Jeska.

Donations were collected at the door, but admission to the show was free.

"We just feel so blessed," Victoria Cook said. "We are grateful for the friends, family and especially the strangers for their support. All the donations have been way beyond what was expected. It's very humbling."

Added DePre: "How many people can say that they had a concert in their name? That's so cool."

HOW TO HELP

www.welovenoahcook .blogspot.com -- Complete list of fundraisers in the area benefiting Noah Cook.