WELLINGTON COUNTY – Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute’s music program is holding its third annual benefit show for the Donkey Sanctuary of Canada on Friday night, the 24th of January.
The show started three years ago following a donation to GCVI of two iconic guitars, from two volunteers at the sanctuary.
Bob and Judy Taylor donated a Gibson Les Paul and a Fender Telecaster to the program, a gesture Lane Osborne, a GCVI Music teacher, says she was incredibly grateful for.
Osborne, also the director of the GCVI Chamber Choir, says this year’s performance will showcase the music of ABBA, and their iconic GOLD album.
It will also feature special guest musicians from ABBAMania, Canada’s premier ABBA tribute act, a GCVI Music alum and The Guelph Youth Singers.
Osborne says this night is one that has an overarching message for students.
The show is pay what you can and all proceeds go to the donkey sanctuary.
Dale Gellatly, the fund development coordinator at the sanctuary, says the money raised is valuable in helping out a large number of donkeys.
Osborne added the GCVI alum’s sax work and the choral help of the youth singers is just the beginning of the outstanding talent broadening the group’s sound.
She went on to say the usual attendance for the highly anticipated event is about 400-600 people, and she hopes to see a good turnout this year for a production with “many moving parts.”
In detailing the concert’s history, Gellatly noted there has already been a substantial amount of money raised.
Admission is by donation and the music kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday night at the GCVI auditorium.
To learn more about the process, check out Osborne’s full interview below:
You can find the full event poster, courtesy of GCVI here:
