“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”
With these words, Mayor Don McIsaac brought a reading of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol to an end Friday evening at St. Paul’s Centre.
The event was organized by Dress for Success Orillia and Barrie and Green Haven Shelter for Women and was a fundraiser for those two local organizations in support of women.
An appreciative crowd of more than 100 people took in the reading and the music that was performed between each stave.
St. Paul’s Centre’s 11 Christmas trees and several large poinsettias added a festive feeling to the stage, and free coffee, juice and cookies donated by several local bakeries rounded out the holiday mood of the evening.
St. Paul’s United Church minister Rev. Ted Reeve welcomed everyone, reminding them St. Paul’s is “a place of gathering” and giving a bit of a history of A Christmas Carol, as well as touching on the important work of the two organizations and the need for supporting them.
“We are thrilled to be chosen as readers for this special event and for such a great cause,” said mother-and-daughter real-estate duo Marci Csumrik and Kyla Epstein, who started the readings off with the second and first staves, respectively.
Simcoe North MP Adam Chambers read the third stave, bedecked in a black frock coat, top hat and white gloves, which he painstakingly removed while reading his opening paragraphs. Chambers, also, was “so happy to be involved and be here tonight,” he said.
Former Orillia Opera House manager Krista Storey gave a reading of the fourth stave, complete with cockney accents and flair, and McIsaac rounded out the evening, giving his reading a Christmassy flavour with a genuine Christmas suit and tie, a red Santa hat and red-framed reading glasses.
It was obvious all the readers had taken their responsibilities seriously, and were well rehearsed and polished, giving the audience a treat with each of their staves.
Music interludes were organized by St. Paul’s music director and organist Blair Bailey, and included Marcia Armstrong, soprano, Alan and Sophy Cooper on fiddle and soprano recorder, Susan and John Smith on Celtic harp and clarinet, Bailey on the organ, and the Brassworks Brass Quartet.
The music was a mix of traditional seasonal English songs, hymns, and Christmas carols, which suited the evening and the readings. Armstrong’s O Holy Night and Brassworks’ Angels We Have Heard on High were musical highlights of the night.
“It really was a wonderful evening, and I am so grateful to be here,” said audience member Carol Benedetti.
“Every reader, and all the music was so good, and St. Paul’s looked beautiful,” added Jacqueline Surette, the city’s manager of culture.
Dress for Success Orillia and Barrie executive director Linda Reid was thrilled with the success of the event.
“I have wanted to do A Christmas Carol for ages,” she said. “We needed to do some fundraising, and I said to Laura (Proctor, Dress for Success Orillia and Barrie communications co-ordinator), ‘I know it’s short notice, but do you think we can pull it off?’ It came together beautifully, with Laura’s organization and attention to detail, and the hard work of everyone on both teams. I am so happy Green Haven agreed to partner with us.”
“It was great to have so much support from the community,” said Proctor. “From the businesses who sponsored, the bakeries who provided food and drink, the readers and musicians who donated their time and talent, and all the people who came out to the event, it was a real community effort. We feel very lucky to have so much support for our organizations and we want to thank everyone so much,” she said.
The event raised approximately $4,500 to be split between the two organizations.
