We were pleased to welcome our guests to our Save Georgian Bay Enchanted Evening, August 10 on the Escarpment, Captain’s Court, Meaford! It was indeed an Enchanted Evening! We ignored the bits of rain and drizzle for a wonderful evening together, protecting and fighting for Georgian Bay and the Escarpment we love. We were blessed with four rainbows that evening.
Thank you to all those who supported our efforts to Save Georgian Bay by purchasing tickets or donating to the cause. These generous donations help fund our efforts to educate people around Georgian Bay and throughout Ontario on the very real hazards, risks, misleading claims and implications of this project. The donations of local artists for the silent auction were outstanding and created excitement during the evening, as many of us competed to be able to take our favourites home.
We are grateful to all of our volunteers and sponsors who gave their time, skills and expertise to make this event possible. First among these volunteers are the Enchanted Evening event team listed below, who conceptualized and then produced a fantastic evening for us to enjoy. This team was supported by a couple dozen volunteers, who performed setup and put away duties; they cut grass, raised tents to protect guests and musicians from sun or rain, setting up the speakers’ circle in the “Ancient Forest”, exhibiting local art, monitoring traffic, greeting guests, smart servers providing local beverages at the bar, serving delectable sushi, and international food platters, including Indigenous smoked fish from Saugeen Ojibway Territory, and then, treats of baclava, sundaes and organic blackberries.
It was a team effort!
It was a joyful, active night. Every facet, from the location on the Escarpment, the program, the cuisine, the Art (with a capital A) and the rainbows, WOW! The program included a “Save Georgian Bay Welcome with a View” by Director Tom Buck and comments from Teresa Sorska about our personal responsibilities to sustain and protect our environment. Then the highlight of our program, Annette Sandberg’s moving comments about the special environment of the Escarpment, the experience we have available to us in loving and protecting it. And then, her warning that if it is destroyed by the pumped storage project, it will never recover!
The purpose of our event was to raise awareness and funds to continue the fight to “STOP TC Energy’s PUMP STORAGE PROJECT.” We could not have done this without your spirited attendance, generous donations, awareness raising, participation from near or far, or bringing your friends and neighbours to the Escarpment and its panoramic view. We surpassed our goal for tickets and had over 124 persons in attendance. The participants included: Meaford Mayor Ross Kentner and wife Ruth Ann; Deputy Mayor Shirley Keaveney; Councillor Harley Greenfield and wife Doris; Tiny Township Councillor Dave Brunelle; Meaford’s Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient for Exemplary Volunteer Leadership Liz Harris; David Scoon, Director of Communications, Escarpment Corridor Alliance (ECA) and Rob Leverty, President of the Niagara Escarpment Foundation to mention just a few.
We are incredibly pleased that we could share this evening together and we thank you all.
See photos of the evening on our website: savegeorgianbay.ca under the Fundraiser Photo Page.
We are so very grateful also, to our many supporters who were not able to join us for the Enchanted Evening. We cherish your participation in our other events, in reading our emails, spreading the word about the project, joining our efforts at council meetings, sending letters to political leaders and more. You make a difference for Georgian Bay and the people of Ontario.
There is more to do! We persist in seeking an end to the Project in favour of more responsible energy solutions. We continue to need your help in many ways. More to come . . .
Tom Buck
Director, Save Georgian Bay
Freda Ariella Muscovitch, Chair, Enchanted Evening Fundraising
Enchanted Evening Committee
Louise Buccella
Patrick Ellard
Mike McTaggart
Teresa Sorska
Pasquale Zita
