NEWS RELEASE
ORILLIA VOCAL ENSEMBLE
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On Saturday afternoon, an overflow crowd gathered at St. Paul’s Centre to enjoy this year’s Christmas Concert by the Orillia Vocal Ensemble (OVE) and guests, the Orillia Community Children’s Choir under the direction of Julia Johnston.
As is usual, the OVE concert was in support of a local charity – for this concert, The Sharing Place Food Centre. Attendees don’t pay anything at the door to get into an OVE performance, but during the concert they are asked to donate to the chosen charity for that concert.
The collection came near the end of the first half of the concert – after selections by the OVE led by Blair Bailey and accompanied so beautifully by Katie Pergau, a trio of numbers by the Orillia Community Children’s Choir, and a special Christmas cantata narrated by “Brother Heinrich” himself.
Chris Peacock, Executive Director of The Sharing Place, had also spoken earlier to share with the audience the work of the volunteers and the needs of the people who were coming to The Sharing Place for support.
After the Intermission, the second half of the concert featured more music from the OVE and the children’s choir – and, in addition, two solo numbers from Matilda Wilson, winner of the OVE’s Roger Andrews Memorial Award in 2023.
With just one number left to perform, Director Blair Bailey invited Chris Peacock to return to the stage to receive a large “cheque” indicating the amount that had been donated during the concert. Fred Larsen, OVE President, announced the astonishing total – $20,200!
The amount raised by this concert far surpasses previous totals raised for a variety of charitable causes since the choir’s beginnings in 2011. All of us in the choir – the Board, Director Blair Bailey, Administrative Assistant Carol Benedetti, and members of the choir – wish to say a most heartfelt “thank you” to those who gave so generously to The Sharing Place at Saturday’s concert.
Once again, in difficult times for many, we have witnessed the compassion and the generosity of the citizens of this community. The Christmas Spirit that calls upon us to think of others, the Christmas Spirit that sees local citizens responding to the Salvation Army bell ringers throughout this period leading up to Christmas Day, is alive and well in Orillia.
A deeply felt appreciation to everyone who supported the OVE and The Sharing Place at St. Paul’s Centre on Saturday. May each of you – and everyone in this wonderful community – enjoy a very Merry Christmas. Peace to all.
And a special thank-you as well to Thor Motors Orillia, sponsor of the Christmas Concert, and John Mayo of Mayo Associates at BMO Nesbitt Burns, a 2023-24 Season Sponsor for the OVE.
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