Friends of Augusta Street Park are very happy with the results of the 2017 5 Wednesdays in July music concert series.
Dubbed “The Summer of Love” this year, we are truly thankful for the community effort it takes to host this event. Although this summer has been a rainy one, we managed to dodge weather that in the past has shut us down. Nothing stopped us! We are happy to say that the series continues to grow with some crowds this July as large as 300 concertgoers.
We are grateful for the following –
- Todd Munro who delivered and returned our stage each week from the Thomas Cavanagh Construction office in Ashton.
- Thomas Cavanagh Construction for the use of their stage.
- Our musicians who shared their great musical gifts each week:
- Week One – The Denis Sisters; Tammy Jones Band
- Week Two – Greg Kelly; The Rapids
- Week Three – Ali McCormick with George Turcotte; The Ragged Flowers
- Week Four – Judge a Book, Brendan Gawn and Jennifer Noxon, Alan and Sue Brown, Jane Coyle, Maya Brown and Victor Maltby; Ramblin Valley Band
- In 2017, we had two Civitan Barbeques and two community pot lucks. We are grateful to Larry Woermke and his Civitan volunteers and everyone who brought food to share at our pot lucks.
- Each year since we started the Hub has covered the cost of an accessible outdoor toilet. We are grateful.
- Gerda Frannsen and Glennis Harwig offered healthy and delicious snacks as well as garden tours and tips in the Neighbourhood Tomato Community Garden in Augusta. Three cheers for the Tomatoheads!
- The Town of Mississippi Mills shares their tents, tables and chairs each week. Many thanks to Jack McKay and the staff at the arena. Gavin Donnelly joined our set-up team this year and transported equipment to and from the arena. Thank you Gavin.
- Each week neighbour volunteers like Tanya McKay and her sons and Justin and other neighbourhood kids helped us set up before each show. Tracey Stimpson helped with logistics on site. Marlene Manners, Megan Largy, Sarah Spinks, Brenda Parsons, Bonnie Reid McCurdy, Alyssa Lockhart, and Alexandra Kaye and others helped set up, sell drinks, kept the bathroom clean, sold barbeque tickets, arranged ice, and organized the pot lucks.
- We are truly grateful to all who came. Without an audience there is no show! You helped us tear down each week, folding tents and putting away tables and chairs. Your many hands made for light work. Thanks to the kids who danced and performed gymnastic feats!
- Mark Reid, Billy Dugdale, Craig Rogers and friends looked after the sound requirements each week. We thank them for their expertise and the use of their equipment.
- Linda Nilson arranged many of this year’s bands and Jeff Mills some. Linda purchased food for the barbeque. Patrice’s YIG donated $250 worth of the barbeque food and Dandelion Foods and Don’s Meat Market gave us discounts on our purchases. Bill Dugdale donated all the hotdogs.
- Brayden’s Lemonade gave us a percent of their profit.
- The Mississippi Mills Family Bicycle Club shared their smoothie making bike.
- We are grateful to Mills Community Support for their strong staff support.
We, the Friends of Augusta Street Park, work on a shoestring to make this neighbourhood park the best it can be. Although this event is not a fundraiser we still managed to make a bit by selling drinks and food at the barbeques and by leaving out our donation jar. This year’s total once expenses are covered will be approximately $1,500 and will go toward a small splash pad to finish the last phase of our approved plan.
We want to hear from you! Join our Friends of Augusta Street Park Facebook Page. Know a band that might want to play next year? Want to volunteer to help? Want to help fundraise or donate to the splash pad? Have questions? Contact Jeff Mills jmills@themills.on.ca
What we’ve learned!
- Its citizens who care that count, not money or politics.
- People need to break up their work week with outdoor social time with their neighbours.
- These events are welcoming and inclusive and attract a wide range of ages and abilities. We are encouraged that our town is strong. In attendance were older adults, persons with disabilities, newcomer neighbours with young children, and old friends.
- We have amazingly talented musicians in our town. Their music sounds best when played outside in the summer.
- We are good cooks! Our community pot lucks are famous for their tasty and healthy offerings. “When you eat outside, bread and butter taste like cake!”
- Invest in sidewalk chalk.
- People step up to volunteer when asked.
And more than anything, we learned that love is very much alive in Mississippi Mills.
Friends of Augusta Street Park
