A group of retired musicians has raised nearly $50,000 through charity performancesGetty Images/iStockphoto
The donors: Sue Gurr, Marylou Oliver, Barrie Brown, Deb Tilson, Ross Macnaughton, Cass Rowswell, Ray Bonnah, Ric Brown
The gift: Raising $50,000
The cause: Charities around Muskoka, Ont.
Marylou Oliver and her sister, Sue Gurr, had been volunteering with various charities for years when Ms. Gurr challenged her to try something different.
Ms. Gurr had begun organizing a band in her hometown of Bala, Ont., in the Muskoka region, and she asked if Ms. Oliver, who lives in Oakville, Ont., wanted to join. The two had often sung together to raise money for churches and Legions, and Ms. Oliver jumped at the opportunity to try something bigger.
Together with six other musicians, nearly all retired, they formed Muskoka Melody. Their first performance was in Bracebridge, Ont., and they raised nearly $10,000 for the Children's Foundation of Muskoka. They soon began touring across the area, raising money for a variety of charities. The band, which specialized in rock music from the 1950s and sixties, played its final event last September, raising nearly $5,000 for a local hospice. Over more than three years, Muskoka Melody raised around $50,000.
"We were really surprised at how well we did. It was very gratifying," said Ms. Oliver, 67, who is now composing her own music. "A personal challenge is great but so much more fun if you can make a bigger impact 'with a little help from my friends.'"
Paul Waldie