The Orillia Concert Band and the Orillia Big Band teamed up to put on a fundraising concert with proceeds of $5,856 going to Hillcrest Lodge, a low income seniors' residence in great need of support, a news release said.
The Community Foundation of Orillia & Area provided a grant to offset most of the concert expenses, and the Orillia Concert Band covered the balance of expenses.
The Orillia Concert Band played during the first half of the evening with standout tunes being “Poet and the Peasant” and “A Trombone Family Reunion.” The Orillia Big Band closed out the concert with a number of rousing jazz and big band standards like “Orange Coloured Sky” and “Take the A Train.” Vocalist Milli Schop sang with both bands. Both bands were conducted by Randy Hoover. Blair Bailey was master of ceremonies.
Hillcrest Lodge was founded in 2006 to provide geared-to-income housing to low-income, marginalized seniors and has become home for 30 residents. The facility provide bachelor apartments, two nutritious meals a day and a companionable community.
"This facility is unique in Canada," notes the media release. Recent inflationary pressures are causing costs to rise and Hillcrest Lodge needs the support of the community to make ends meet. More information can be found at www.hillcrestlodge.org. Hillcrest has a donation page on their website.
You can check out upcoming concerts from the Orillia Concert Band website and the Orillia Big Band website.
Tickets are available now for Orillia Concert Band’s pair of Christmas concerts, both on Saturday Dec. 2: the family friendly “Afternoon Christmas Concert” and an Orillia tradition “Christmas Prelude Concert”.
