MOOSE JAW — To support the ongoing Vision of Tomorrow campaign in benefit of the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital, and as a way to give back to the community whose support makes its work possible, the Moose Jaw Health Foundation (MJHF) has recently concluded a series of Concerts in the Park performances this summer.
The concert program included the Rod & Bonnie Show on July 24, Just ‘N Tyme on July 31, the Heritage Fiddlers on Aug. 7, The Kingsway on Aug. 14, and finally but with a dramatic conclusion, a surprise Rory Allen performance to end the series on the evening of Aug. 21.
“Concerts in the Park is a tradition in Moose Jaw,” explained Kelly McElree, director of the MJHF. “It has been going for 29 years and every Wednesday during the summer in June, July, and August, local volunteer musicians will come to Crescent Park and play a free concert for the people that come out.
“It’s a very much-loved event in this community,” he added.
Concerts in the Park is offered completely free of charge. To raise funds for the Health Foundation’s Vision of Tomorrow campaign, volunteers make their way through the crowd to ask for optional donations.
“A loonie, a toonie, a bill — it’s all appreciated,” McElree said. “It all goes to our annual campaign.”
This year’s campaign seeks the provision of new, next generation surgical equipment for the four operating theatres at Moose Jaw’s hospital. One of these devices is a new bronchoscope.
“Bronchoscopy will be a new surgical service at our hospital,” he said. “We are thrilled with the level of support that people are having for our campaign, and that was shown all the way through each and every week at Concerts in the Park.”
McElree said the new service will eliminate the need to travel to other centres such as Regina or Saskatoon for the procedure.
“That’s going to help people with lung cancer, COPD, emphysema, asthma… it’s quite a marvellous, marvellous tool.”
Proceeds from Concerts in the Park — the total of which has not yet been tallied — will be added to ongoing individual donations, a recent $600,000 gift from the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital Auxiliary, and proceeds from the upcoming Festival of Trees fundraiser planned for Saturday, Oct. 19.
The campaign’s goal is to reach $825,000.
McElree said this year’s Concerts in the Park program went off without a hitch and saw very good attendance throughout.
“All the way throughout the summer we’ve had very good weather, and we were very, very fortunate to have that,” he said.
Despite this run of good luck, the weather had different plans for the final performance on the evening of Aug. 21. Still, the summer program did end with a bang as promised — a thunderclap.
“We had Rory Allen come out and he volunteered his time. He’s an amazing performer,” he said. “The stands were full, it was raining out, and people were dancing in the rain. You could hear the thunder in the background. It was a very cool night for people.”
Still, attendees pulled through and enjoyed at least a full hour before conditions deteriorated into a lasting downpour.
“You know, it was a Concerts in the Park (show) that people will never forget,” McElree said.
“(Expert Rail Group) stepped up to help sponsor last night (Aug. 21) and make it possible, and we’re just very thankful to them,” McElree said with evident appreciation. “We’re thankful to Rory Allen, and we’re thankful to all the volunteer bands that took the time to make a difference in our community.
“Literally, when people volunteer for the foundation and donate, they are saving lives,” he said.
“The foundation is just so thankful for the support that we have at Concerts in the Park,” McElree concluded. “It’s the way the foundation gives back to the people in this community that give so much.”
Although the Concerts in the Park program is now concluded, you can still donate by contacting the MJHF at 306-694-0373 or online at MJHF.org.
To learn more about the Moose Jaw Health Foundation and its work in the community, visit MJHF.org, ‘Moose Jaw Health Foundation’ on Facebook, or call 306-693-0373.
