Music to get you in the mood -- for Christmas
Posted By SARA ROSS, THE PACKET AND TIMES
Posted 2 months ago
The Orillia Shrine Club is ringing in the holiday season with a Christmas Extravaganza to benefit youth in need of medical attention.
On Dec. 8, three local high schools will perform at the Orillia Opera House with proceeds supporting Shriners hospitals and the Shriner transportation fund, said Orillia Shrine Club second vice-president Gord Pye.
"I think all adults and students will enjoy this evening," he said. "Hopefully get them into the Christmas spirit."
Twin Lakes Secondary School's Voice of Thunder is made up of 50 singers. Park Street Collegiate Institute has a band of about 20 students and Orillia District Collegiate and Vocational Institute has quite a large band, Pye said.
"They will be doing Christmas (music) as well as choices of their own," he said.
The club organizes a number of fundraising events throughout the year to benefit its causes, including disabled children and burn victims, Pye said.
"All of the medical attention that that child needs right through to adulthood is looked after by the Shriners at no expense to mom and dad -- even the transportation," he said.
Four to five local youth are being assisted by Shriners hospitals in North America at any given time, Pye said.
"We take on a number every year in addition to that," he said.
With just a handful of the 700 Christmas Extravaganza tickets sold, the Orillia Shrine Club is hoping to drum up more interest, Pye said.
"Tickets sales are lagging; I think maybe because a lot of people don't know about it," he said. "We thought that by having the local music talent from the schools first of all would get support from parents and children that are playing in it, but for some reason that hasn't materialized."
Organizers hope to see the Christmas Extravaganza become an annual fundraiser.
"If we can make a go of it this year, then we would like to see it an annual event and build on it," Pye said.
Tickets are $12 and are available at the Orillia Opera House 326-8011, or online at www.orilliaoperahouse.ca.
sross@orilliapacket.com
