Papa's Tavern donates to JDRF

TOLEDO, Ohio (WUPW) - Before appearing on Season 9 of American Idol, Crystal Bowersox spent a lot of time honing her skills at Papa's Tavern in Toledo's east end.

Since she's qualified and advanced week after week in the 2009 competition fans have come to watch American Idol at the tavern in support.

Bowersox, who is competing against Andrew Garcia, Katie Stevens, Lee Dewyze, Casey James, Aaron Kelly, Tim Urban, Michael Lynche, and Siobhan Magnus to be the next American Idol, has a lot of love for Papa's Tavern.

"I got my music education there," she said. "It's a great place and the people have always been really good to me."

Those who visit Papa's Tavern on Tuesday evenings have purchased special t-shirts. The funds raised from the sale have gone toward to help fight juvenile diabetes.

During Tuesday evening's Idol theme week dedicated to John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Papa's Tavern owner Tim Stahl donated a second check worth $300 to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

"It just touches true to heart because Crystal, when she played here, she didn't make a lot of money," Stahl said. "She's a struggling artist and for her to talk good about Papa's it just touches everybody here."