Hi Folks, a question for you:
How does the New Year feel for you? Is it like getting a pony? Or maybe a new bicycle? More like the first day of summer, or the last day of school? No matter how it feels, a new year seems to bubble with promise and potential (and freedom from eating turkey for at least a month!). I hope that as we pick up our post-holiday routines we can all hold on to a bit of that magic and continue to dream our futures into existence…
I’m pleased to announce that our Community Café continues with dates set for Friday, Jan. 30 and Friday, Feb. 27; I’m in the process of lining up the guest performers and will pass that information on soon (don’t worry, they’ll be great!). We’ll be at Joe and Edgar’s Café again, and something new for the Cafés: we’ll be licensed to serve wine and beer! Of course the great Las Chicas coffee and snacks will still be available.
***If you’d like to help with the café, please spread the word! Also, we could use a couple of volunteers to help with the door – please let me know if you can do that.***
Can’t make it? Consider hosting a Community Café in your home! I’ve done this before and it works quite well – there’s a greater intimacy – and I would love to help you set one up. All you have to do is invite a few friends who like music and want to help the community, ask them to throw a few dollars in the kitty, pick your favourite charity and Bob’s your Uncle, we’re in business! I’m prepared to do this as a 50/50 split, potentially quite a deal when you consider I would normally charge $250 for this kind of a performance. When would you like to do this?
Best wishes for 2015!
Kevin
PS I’m considering starting a web page for the café (any volunteers?), and if I do, one thing it will feature is a “Wall of Honor”. In the meantime, I’ll paste it in here; watch it grow:
Volunteer Performers:
Lisa Philpott, clarinet
Paul Kramer, guitar (Artamus Guitar Trio)
Bill Nediger (Artamus Guitar Trio)
Caroline Hauffe, flute (Trio di gala)
Allison Pilon (Trio di gala)
Volunteers Extraordinaire:
Lesley Burdis
John Hauffe
Geoff Stubbs
Money donated to charities to date:
$215
Please give them (and yourselves!) a big round of applause!
About the Community Café:
With the help of many friends, I’ve established a Community Café. It’s a celebration of community with an informal evening of music, stories and more. Yours truly will play guitar and act as host and there will be guest performers as well.
Our theme is unity, at both the individual and community level; to that end, net proceeds from the tariff (a free-will offering) will be donated to a local charity chosen by you: each guest can name their favourite local charity and we will have a draw for the recipient of that evening’s ‘gate’.
I’d like to start by offering the Café once a month at Joe and Edgar’s Café who, as co-sponsors, have graciously donated their space for our project; in fact they will keep the kitchen open during the café to satisfy your cravings! Next Cafe: Friday, Jan. 30.
FAQ: Answers to some of the questions you may have re: the Community Café:
Kevin, can I bring friends?
Yes please, the more the merrier! I’ve attached a simple poster that you can print and post, or, print it six to a page to make handouts…
Where does the money go?
All the money, less a stipend* for the co-ordinator (that’s me) and nominal expenses (PA rental, some printing) will be donated to a local charity determined by the audience…
Will there be music?
And more! I will play of course, offer some readings, and there will be one or two guest performers…
Will Kevin talk too much?
Almost certainly…
Is this the only time you’re doing this?
We hope to do this on a monthly basis, but you should come to this one just in case…
Will there be food?
The restaurant will be open for this event to offer beer, wine and snacks…
How can I help?
Spread the word! Also, I need two volunteers to help with the door (taking money and recording charity choices, etc.)
*In addition to my role as the primary performer/moderator, I have taken on overall coordinator of the café with duties such as promotion, booking guest performers, remitting the gifts to the charities, etc. To that end I will take a stipend of ½ the ‘gate’ after expenses to a maximum of $150.