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| < 2004 News | 2005
- News Archive |
2006 News > | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PRESS RELEASE | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dec 16th, 2005 Grafton, ON :: Back To Top Festival contributes $1000 for Cerebral Palsy Therapy for 5 year old Colborne boy. Following the year-end meeting
of the second annual Shelter Valley Folk Festival, Artistic
Director Aengus Finnan presented a $1000 cheque to Erich and
Michelle Ferguson for the ongoing therapy required for their
5 year old son Connor. This disability requires early and intensive treatment, which in time, will help Connor live a functional, independent life. A few years ago Connor had the opportunity to attend a therapy camp in Picton called, Ability Camp (www.abilitycamp.com) where he participated in a program called Conductive Education, with intense therapy geared to individual needs that assist children with Cerebral Palsy overcome movement problems. Recently, Connor was able to fly to Poland to a Rehabilitation Clinic named Euromed (www.euromed.pl) that offers one-on-one help and hope to those afflicted with Cerebral Palsy. Connor preformed many types of unique therapy methods, including use of a Adeli Suit, which helps to retrain the body's balance, strength, tone and gait. Connor left Euromed a stronger, more confident little boy, who is now capable of walking in single post crutches. Connor's trip to Poland was possible thanks to the advance funds pledged by the Shelter Valley Folk Festival as well as donations from family, friends and the people of Colborne, Brighton and surrounding areas. As they left the Festival meeting held at the Grafton Town Hall Mrs. Ferguson remarked "The festival's donation helps make a difference towards Connor's future and it is greatly appreciated", followed by Conner's beaming smile and "Thank you very much". Connor and his family hope to have him return to Picton and/or Poland to receive their unique and much needed therapy. Anyone interested in providing assistance for Connor are encouraged to contact the Ferguson Family c/o Box# 732, Colborne Ontario, KOK 1SO or directly at rescustom@sympatico.ca . The Shelter Valley Folk Festival makes a contribution each year to a charitable cause as selected by Tracey and Arnie Henkel, owners of the farm where the festival is held. Last year a $1000 contribution was made towards the cost of local hosting for a Child Survivor of Chernobyl through the Northumberland Orphan Fund. The Festival is a family event held Labour Day weekend, which drew over 1000 people, 250 volunteers and artists from across North America for the second annual event. Plans are well underway for year three (Sept 1-3, 2006). - 30 - |
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| COBOURG,
July 30th :: Back
To Top
Three Local Songwriters Selected to perform at Shelter Valley! While the The Shelter Valley Folk Festival books a full roster of national and international performers to perform on it's three hand-hewn stages, the organizing committee felt it was important to also provide an opportunity for local songwriters to be presented. In order to facilitate this an outdoor audition was held in Cobourg on Friday July 29th under the title of a Songwriter's Showcase. It served as both an opportunity for local and area songwriters to share their talents and creative work with an outdoor public audience, while three festival representatives made notes in order to select three performer to appear on the Mainstage at the 2005 Labour Day weekend Festival (Sept 2-4, 2005). An audience survey allowed the public to join in the process of recommending three performers, with an understanding that it was not the performance or presentation, rather the songs that were to be considered. There was an incredible response from artists and community alike with 12 songwriters showcasing their work, (many more on a waiting list) and over 150 people who gathered at the street stage and moved to the Market Hall for an acoustic finale when the rain came. Each songwriter had 10 minutes to perform 2 original songs and there was a fantastic range of styles, songs, and ages. Proud thanks goes out to all the songwriters who came to share their work. It was a very challenging process to select three based on songwriting, but by audition committee review and public survey the three artists selected to appear at the 2005 Shelter Valley Folk Festival are (in alphabetical order)..
Special thanks to Kelly Quinn and the Cobourg DBIA for working with the Folk Festival to bring this event to the public, to the Northumberland Players for the use of their portable stage and to Erin Hamayda and David Sheffield who joined Artistic Director Aengus Finnan to take notes and review the audience surveys. The three local songwriters will appear on the Festival's
mainstage on Labour Day Weekend. |
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GRAFTON, July 18, 2005 :: Back To Top For Immediate Release: Volunteers Make Magic Happen! The spirit of volunteerism is alive and well in Northumberland, says Andrew Buntin, Volunteer Coordinator for this year’s Shelter Valley Folk Festival. According to Andrew, many of last year’s nearly 300 volunteers are already at work on the second annual festival set for September 2-4 on the Henkel Farm in Shelter Valley. But he’s quick to add “We still need to reach out to at least another hundred volunteers to make this work well.” A cross-Canada survey reveals that one in four Canadians volunteer regularly and the work they do is equal to the paid labour force of Manitoba. Most recreation and cultural events wouldn’t happen without volunteers. |
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While her assigned job was in the children’s area, Angela, like many other volunteers, arrived a few days before the festival and threw herself into the tasks at hand, putting up tents, making signs, setting out garbage and recycling cans. “The whole energy and feeling of the festival just wraps you up.” That feeling was evident to Joan James as well. “I don't think I heard one word spoken in anger. Everyone got along so well with each other,” she says. Joan and her husband Gord are neighbors of the festival site near Grafton and they volunteered to support what they thought would be “a wonderful, musical weekend in this beautiful area.” They first heard about the Folk Festival through an advertisement in the paper and, being retired, their flexible schedules allowed them to help out during office hours and to deliver posters before the festival. Pitching in during the festival, making new friends, the James became confirmed Shelter Valley volunteers. They’re already taking care of business for this year’s event in the festival office at 247 Division St. in Cobourg. Volunteers are still needed in areas such as traffic and parking control, producing the program book and overseeing the packing up of the festival, Andrew says, “We're also looking for lots of volunteers to be the 'worker bees' in all areas.” The rewards for volunteering include free admission to the festival in exchange for a minimum number of volunteer hours (20 hours in advance of the festival OR 12 hours during the festival). High school students can use festival volunteer hours as credit for their diploma requirement. In addition, Andrew says, “There are the free meals, camping and a t-shirt at no cost - not to mention that warm-all-over feeling you get from knowing that you are a part of changing our little corner of the world!” Signing up is as easy as clicking the volunteer button on the Shelter Valley Folk Festival website (www.sheltervalley.com) or dropping in to the festival office at 247 Division St., just north of King. The Shelter Valley Folk Festival is an annual outdoor music event held Labour Day weekend (Sept.2-3-4, 2005). Folk, Roots & Blues musicians from across North America will perform and conduct workshops on three stages. The family festival also features a range of specialty foods, an artists’ village, a Wellness and Sustainable Living area with interactive displays, and a children’s area with interactive arts workshops. The festival is a volunteer-run, non-profit community event. Weekend and Day-Pass tickets are available on-line at www.sheltervalley.com
and at selected venues throughout the area. For full details
and additional information including camping reservations please
visit the website, email , or call 905.377.9556. |
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GRAFTON, Ont., June 20, 2005 :: Back To Top The Shelter Valley Folk Festival, held Labour Day weekend, celebrates more than the richness of music in our community, it also showcases the rich diversity of artists in our midst - weavers, potters, painters, woodworkers and even glass workers. In addition, the Festival also hosts a wide range of wellness practitioners as well as sustainable living exhibits and interactive workshops. The atmosphere of the Artists’ Village encourages audience participation, allowing festival-goers to see inside the world of an artist through demonstrations and a hands-on creative experience. The joy that art can bring to our lives cannot be overestimated and this opportunity for close interaction benefits everyone. In the Wellness Village a wide variety of holistic practitioners give “mini” treatments to festival-goers. If you’ve never experienced reiki or aromatherapy, massage or reflexology this is your chance to try it first hand. While the phrase sustainable living is just starting to make it into day-to-day conversation, the concept has been around for ages, and essentially focuses on eco-friendly alternatives to the way we live, travel, consume, and generate. Think solar panels, wind power, bio-diesel, conservation, and you have an idea what the Shelter Valley Folk Festival is proud to promote. Contributing artists, practitioners and exhibitors are housed in clusters of little white tents. The Artists’ Village with its colourful displays of art for sale; the Wellness Village with their massage tables and rich array of options for health, relaxation and well-being; and the sustainable living booths providing literature, display samples, and educational insight. Festival organizers would like to hear from local artists,
wellness practitioners, and sustainable living exhibitors who
are interested in participating in this grassroots local event.
The selection committee will be arranging interviews in July
and would like to hear of your interest. For more information
and an application form to participate in the Artists’ Village
or Wellness and Sustainable Living Village please contact
or 905.377.9556 |
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The 2005 Festival will, once again, be held at the scenic Henkel Farm just east of Grafton and includes an Artists’ Village, Wellness and Sustainable Living booths, and an impressive line up of performers. The festival is a family event complete with interactive programs for children by Christine Benson of “Journey Through the Arts”. Open field camping is available on the picturesque site overlooking Lake Ontario, and it is recommended that you make your reservations when purchasing weekend tickets as space is limited. The cost is $15 per campsite for up to 4 weekend pass holders; and $5 for each additional person up to a maximum of six per site. There is a family camp area which is quiet after 11.00 p.m., and an acoustic music area for late-nighters. Tent-trailer access is limited. Tickets are available on-line at www.sheltervalley.com (this site - here) and at selected venues throughout the area. For full details and additional information please visit the website, email , or call 905.377.9556 |
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PRESS RELEASE :: Back To Top GRAFTON, April 25, 2005 - for immediate release: SHELTER VALLEY FOLK FESTIVAL - CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS Following the magical success of the Shelter Valley Folk Festival last year, assisted by more than 200 people who volunteered their services from across Northumberland and from as far away as New York city, Festival organizers are once again extending an invitation for volunteers to sign up and help ensure that Magic CAN happen. There’s lots to be done both before, during and after the Festival, including everything from site management and carpentry, to Performer Hospitality, Communications and Fundraising. Immediate roles are available for an experienced food coordinator, a graphic designer, and a webmaster, while there are also plenty of “weekend of” roles along with various key volunteer and assistant positions. If you like the idea of building a community filled with the focus on music, art, wellness, great food, the outdoors, and good people, come and join our gang. Andrew Buntin, Volunteer coordinator for the festival stated; In return for your enthusiasm, time and willingness to make a magical experience for our guests, volunteers attend the festival for free, complete with camping and a volunteer appreciation concert! Volunteers will also be provided with a Festival T-Shirt and we’ll even feed you! Two Volunteer Information Sessions will be held on Sunday, May 1, at 2:00 p.m. at Grafton Town Hall and at 7.00 p.m. at the Cobourg Library. Or sign-up online after May 1 at www.sheltervalley.com (this site - sign-up here) The 2005 Festival will, once again, include an Artists Village, Wellness and Community Village and an impressive line up of performers. The festival is a family event and Christine Benson of “Journey Through the Arts” in Port Hope will be offering a magical program for children. The Festival will be held at the scenic Henkel Farm near Grafton. |
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