CORNWALL, Ontario – It began as a way to honour the memory of couple of friends, now the little jam that could has turned into a popular and growing annual event.
It all started in the summer of 2012, said Patti Edwards, the founder of Jamming for Hospice, whose friend, musician, Paul Herrington, had announced to her that he was ill, and expressed a desire to get back together with some former bandmates and have a jam, for old time sake.
As fate would have it, that jam would never happen.
Around that time Edwards was visiting another friend, who was in his last few days of life, at Cornwall Hospice.
From the loss of those two friends and in honour of their memory she founded the fundraiser, now in its third year and growing fast.
Last year’s event raised $2,500 Hospice, as well as an additional $1,500 in support of another area musician, Dean Lapensée, who had been in the news, after having his legs and fingers amputated, when an illness left him in a coma, last year.
This year’s jam promises to be even bigger and better, with a variety of music styles to suit everyone’s taste, from classic rock 70s, 80s, country, folk, gospel, blues.
It all begins at 2pm, with an acoustic set, featuring a fabulous local line up, Jason Graveley and Patti Edwards, Carey B. Grant, Chuck Leclair, Randy Topin, Peter Fortin and others.
The volume gets bumped up later on with bands Rock Bottom, Front Row, Alison Wonderland and The Trevor Walsh Group.
The Canadian Online Radio Network will be broadcasting live from the even, and on the soundboard, will be Larry Sylvain. Kingstreet Percussion will provide the back line, as usual.
Fundraisers for Hospice are essential, explained Edwards, who said that the facility receives limited funding from the government and must come up with an additional $750, 000 annually, to keep it running.
It’s a great time, said Edwards. “So many sponsors, musicians and volunteers, it’s wonderful.”
The 3rd annual Jamming for Hospice will take place on Sunday, Nov. 16, starting at 2pm, at The Agora Centre (formerly Nativity Hall), 301 McConnell Ave. Cornwall, ON. Tickets are $20 in advance (until Nov. 8) or $25, at the door. For further information call Patti Edwards at 613-551-0110.
