Fiddle Jam/Old Time Dance/Square Dance Fundraiser For Cope Service Dogs At Eady Community Hall
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In 2012, Caoimhin Mac Aoidh, a fiddler in Donegal, Ireland founded the concept of World Fiddle Day, with the purpose of promoting fiddling throughout the world. He chose the third Saturday in May to coincide with the 1737 death of Italian violin craftsman, Antonio Stradavari.
Since 2012, various countries have embraced the concept of a “Fiddle Day”. In 2015, the Canadian Parliament, in order to recognize the traditional and contemporary importance of fiddling and its importance to Canadian heritage and Canadian Society, enacted a bill which proclaimed the third Saturday in May each year as “National Fiddling Day”.
Over the years, events have been held in various parts of Canada and the World to recognize “Fiddle Day”.
Sandy Price and her husband Ralph live in Oro-Medonte. Sandy plays “old time” fiddle and Ralph is a square dance caller. Over the last three years, they held events at the Eady Community Hall on the third Saturday in May to celebrate Fiddle Day and rather than charge admission they asked attendees to make a donation for COPE SERVICE DOGS. They arranged for COPE to bring dogs to the hall and an enthusiastic group of fiddlers, other musicians, dancers, square dancers and listeners came in numbers. People came and went throughout the afternoons and the Hall was full. They had a great back-up band and numerous fiddlers, square dance callers and other musicians who came to demonstrate their talents. People are already talking about the 2025 event, which they affectionately call the “DOG DANCE”.
The total raised over the last three years for COPE service dogs is $9,800.
Ralph and Sandy are again organizing a FIDDLE DAY CELEBRATION/COPE SERVICE DOGS FUNDRAISER AT THE EADY COMMUNITY HALL, EADY, ON., ON SATURDAY MAY 17, 1 to 5 pm.
It will be the same format as the last three years, with fiddlers, singers, other musicians and square dance callers having the opportunity to sign in and be part of the program with the backup band.
In the past, they did not set a fundraising goal, but for 2025, they have set a goal of $5,200, in order to have a four-year total of $15,000. It takes $30,000 to raise and train a service dog and if they can achieve their goal, they will have funded ½ a dog. Not sure if it is the front half or the back half, but either end has its own way of showing its appreciation!
ADMISSION TO THE EVENT WILL BE FREE, BUT DONATIONS ARE REQUESTED FOR COPE SERVICE DOGS.
DOGS IN TRAINING WILL BE THERE! (IN 2024 THERE WERE FIVE LABRADOR RETREIVERS in attendance.)
The snack bar is catered by the Craighurst Women’s Institute and it is a fundraiser for them as well.
If you want more information, contact Ralph or Sandy Price, telephone 705-835-3159 or
e-mail: ralph.sandyprice@sympatico.ca
If you will be unable to attend, but would like to “support the cause”, go to the COPE DOGS website:
www.copedogs.org, click on “support”, click on “donate”, click on the appropriate donation and enter Fiddle Day in “Type of Tribute”, so that they know “why” the donation.
We look forward to seeing you on May 17!