This week’s spotlight for the 3rd annual Education for Africa Variety Show is on Pete Woods and James McGowan. Pete is a minister with the United Church of Canada and a professional saxophonist with recording credits in jazz, blues and rock’n’roll. Woods has toured shows of jazz hymn and gospel variations from Halifax to Victoria, north to James Bay and south to El Salvador. He is a sought-after musician at both church- and jazz- based events across Canada. The conversational quality of duos and trios is where he thrives- intimacy, humour and authenticity are hallmarks of his sound.

Pete will be joined by James McGowan who is an Assistant Professor of Music at Carleton University, where he is the co-supervisor of the performance program and an award-winning educator in music theory and composition. As a pianist and conductor specializing in jazz and other improvised music, he performs with the eagles-mcgowan-wittet trio and directs the music program at Trinity United in Ottawa.

Also performing at the show will be Angélique Leduc, dancers from the Chad Wolfe Studio of Dance and Music and our fabulous headliner, Paul Deslauriers.

Our special guess MC is DAWG FM’s Patricia Lever.

Tickets are available at the door or securely online athttp://bit.ly/1etlnUc.

The spotlight this week is on the Chad Wolfe Studio of Dance and Music. Champion fiddler and stepdancer, Chad Wolfe, first opened Chad’s School of Fiddle & Stepdance in 1996 in North Bay, Ontario. Since then, his students have won national titles and have entertained alongside some of today’s headlining Celtic acts. Chad is very pleased to be sharing his talents now in Ottawa and welcomes an incredible list of talented instructors to his team to offer this unique combination of classes.

We are fortunate to be able to welcome some of the students from the Chad Wolfe Studio to our stage on October 20 at the 3rd Annual Education for Africa Variety Show.

Come and check them out.

TICKETS AVAILABLE SECURELY ONLINE through Plan Canada’s secure site http://bit.ly/1etlnUc.

Today’s spotlight turns to 15 year-old Angélique Leduc. We will endeavour each year to feature a young, promising performer at our Variety Show. We are excited to have Angélique join us this year. Angélique Leduc is a singer, dancer and a visual artist specializing in popular music. She was in a choir at church and at school for 5 years. She is currently taking singing lessons and she hopes to make it big one day in the entertainment industry.

TICKETS AVAILABLE SECURELY ONLINE through Plan Canada’s site http://bit.ly/1etlnUc.

Each week I plan to shine the spotlight on one of the tremendously talented acts involved with our Variety Show. First up, MC Patricia Lever.

Patricia considers her work to be communication, whether it be as a radio announcer, blogging, writing articles, interviewing, coaching, talking with people or public speaking. She considers being the best that she can be to be a constant unfoldment and the only real aspect that matters.

Her interesting and varied background includes working in many industries, including broadcasting. She’s done voice acting and modelling, sung with some bands, and dabbled in the public and community sectors. She has studied and taught metaphysics and the healing arts, including Huna and Lomi on the island of Kauai. Patricia has also worked as a marketing and communication consultant and a business analyst.

Patricia is currently working with DAWG FM and we are delighted that she has agreed to be our special guest MC for the event.

What a lineup we have for this year’s show coming up at Greenfields in Barrhaven at 1:30 on Sunday, October 20. Once again, all proceeds go to Plan Canada to help young women and youth start small businesses. AND the federal government is matching amounts raised 3:1.

FEATURING:

• Paul Deslauriers from Montreal, an incredible singer and one of Canada’s best blues guitarists;
• The jazz duo of Pete Woods (saxophone) and Brian Browne (legendary pianist);
• Step dancers from the Chad Wolfe Studio of Dance and Music;
• 15 year-old Angelique Leduc will provide her rendition of some popular music; and,
• Patricia Lever from DAWG FM will be our special guest MC!

We are excited about this event and we hope you will be too. It’s only $20! Children 12 and under will be admitted free if accompanied by a parent but donations would be appreciated.

Tickets will be available in advance from us or Greenfields or

SECURELY ONLINE through Plan Canada’s site here http://bit.ly/1etlnUc.

Once again, organizer Debbie Harbridge pulled off a spectacular event as $2,000 was raised for our project and by all reports, everyone had a good time.The amount raised becomes $8,000 after factoring in the government matching.

Photos are posted at the link below. Click on the photo to enlarge it. If anyone would like a copy, please let us know.

Special thanks to Debbie, who is moving on to other things after organizing the tournament for 5 years. She has been amazing and we will miss her organizational skills. However, I am quite sure we will see her on the links at the 6th annual tournament next August.

Now…check out your golfing form in the photos below.

2013 Golf Tournament Photos

For those who participate in our projects, this is an example of how your money helps the young women of Tanzania.

http://plancanada.ca/bill-clinton-visits-tanzania-africa-microfinance

Here it is! The cover is designed, I received my author copies and the book will soon be available!

Check it out here.

This is an interview I did with Fiona Mcvie about two years ago. Fiona just re-posted it on Facebook tonight. I had pretty much forgotten about it.  It’s interesting how things have changed. The leadership hints can now be found in this blog while the travel memoir I refer to is on the verge of being published. The rest still applies. 🙂

http://wp.me/p3uv2y-pL

It’s coming soon. The writing, rewriting, editing, illustrating, rewriting and Version 1 are complete. Next come the author copies, prototype copies, printing decision, printing and ebooks! But don’t despair, I Guess We Missed The Boat is just about ready to roll out. I should have author copies at the end of the month at which time I can reveal the cover.  I’m pretty excited about it all. Oh, here’s the back cover summary:

Eight diverse characters, related by marriage and often travelling together, visit multiple locales across the globe by every means of transportation available.

The hilarious stories that arise in this romp around the world feature amateur mind control, mirrored hotel room walls, a 1957 Chevy with holes in the floor, an explosion of ladies’ lingerie, sketchy starfish, topless beaches, Bo Derek’s doppelgänger, synchronized pill popping, psychological bar fights, thieving baboons, and sexy giraffes.

And the humour is perfectly balanced by Barry Finlay’s philanthropic heart, which beats strong through each journey.

I hope you will pick up a copy when it’s available. It’s gonna be a blast!