LAC LA BICHE - A number of events will be taking place in Lac La Biche County this Friday for Canada Day and one event will use the July 1 holiday as an anchor-point for a three-day music and free camping fundraiser at the Knights of Columbus grounds.
The event is raising funds for two charities, said Gary Goulet, one of the event organizers and one the many performing musicians.
“We want to put together a musical festival of sorts and free camping spaces so that people would be able to afford to attend. We thought if we are going to do that why don’t we make some money and help out some charities,” he said.
Supporting charities
The charities selected are Lac La Biche’s Hope Haven Shelter and Cops for Cancer—a national foundation backed through law enforcement agencies that supports children diagnosed with cancer and their families. Goulet, who helped to found the Cops for Cancer charity in 1994, says the long weekend fundraiser is a way to bring awareness and funding to the charities.
“We like to support Hope Haven because we’ve been up to Lac La Biche and played in their golf tournament before and we thought it would be a good local charity to support. The other one is Cops for Cancer, an organization that I founded back in 1994 when I was a police officer.”
To date, Cops for Cancer has raised north of $100 million dollars nation-wide, the former police officer added.
Creating the charity made sense, Goulet said, explaining that it not only helped those who needed it, but also showed the compassion of people in uniform. The charity began with a fundraising head-shave ... Goulet’s. He did it to pay tribute to a young boy who was going through cancer treatments. From that one event, other police members joined. The organization has started bike ride fundraisers, other charity head shaves and dozens of other events from coast to coast over the last three decades.
“The community got involved and it was good for everybody I feel because it showed the human side of policing, it showed that we’re involved and we want to do things in our community that help people—especially kids.”
Already a musician, performing with his band 11 Seconds, Goulet says the Canada Day fundraiser is a perfect combination of several factors. He said it started from the idea of a simple performance in the area ... and expanded.
“It started off as a fun trip to play at one of the cabins and then we thought let’s go a little bit bigger and make money for charity — humble beginnings,” he said. “We hope it’s going to be a major event where we can make a bunch of money for charity…We’re hoping—if it’s successful—we are hoping to host it annually.”
Weekend setlist
The camp ground will be open for the many guests already scheduled to come starting on Thursday, and the musical performances will take place on Friday and Saturday, says event co-organizer Lenora Lemay.
“The music starts Friday evening at 7 p.m. with Brian Deeher and Armand Plamondon. On Saturday, we have an open mic for the Rockin Fiddle Band that will play from 3-4 p.m.,” she said.
More musicians are expected to perform after 4 p.m. that are still being confirmed, said Lemay.
Highlighting the weekend performances Saturday will be 11 Seconds who will be playing for more than 10,000 of them from 7- 10 p.m.
Included in the weekend events will be a silent auction with proceeds donated to both charities. The weekend will also have a 50/50 raffle, said Lemay.
Register to attend
Guests planning to camp are encouraged to register through a QR code on the event poster or by contacting organizers, said Lemay.
The campsite doesn't have electrical hookups for visitors and there are no meals planned for the music weekend, so visitors should arrive with their own food and beverages, she said.
Local Canada Day celebrations
With more events happening around the community like the Mission Day Canada celebrations and the County’s evening firework display at McArthur Place, Lemay says attending the musical and camping experience is a fun experience to attend in-between both events.
“We’re hoping it will be a nice segue after you’ve spent July 1 at the Mission and come over in the evening to our event. The celebrations at the Mission are during the day and then you can continue celebrating into the evening with us until about 10… from there you can go to the County’s fireworks at 11 p.m.”
Ultimately, the plan is to make the event an annual experience that not only supports charities but draws locals and travellers to the community, she said.
“It’s for charity, for Hope Haven and Cops for Cancer… .There is a good number of people coming from Edmonton and area so we are hoping it becomes an event for people to come out annually to Lac La Biche, see their friends or experience the community if you haven’t come before."
For more information about the event—that is running from June 30-July 3—and to register, visit LLB Summer Concert on social media.
