I have been very fortunate to have been able to volunteer my time at a couple of different venues in the last week. It's Christmas season, and I was thankful to have the opportunity to ease my mind away from business and the more commercial aspects that this time of the year usually foists upon us.
Paul Brandt is in the middle of his Canadian tour at the moment, and last week made stops in both Peterborough and Belleville. I would have to say that Paul is probably the most popular Canadian country musician at the moment, and if you had a chance to see his show you would understand why. The Empire Theatre in Belleville and the Showplace Theatre in Peterborough were packed for the shows.
The reason I was there though was to support the opening act, High Valley and their efforts on behalf of World Vision Canada.
High Valley are asking their fans to partner with them and World Vision and to think about sponsoring a child. This is an especially important message this time of the year when we tend to spend money more frivolously than at other times. I was very impressed by the band and their message.
High Valley are three young fellows from Alberta, and judging by the amount of swooning that was going on all around me (have a peek at the picture on your left to figure out why), they have a very bright future in the business. It is really neat to see that three young men who have the world at their feet can remain so well grounded and focused on the really important things in life.
I was impressed, and apparently so were their fans. 32 children were sponsored at these events, so these young men are making a real impact with their message. It isn't easy to get people to make a financial commitment to sponsoring a child, yet the band's genuine appeal really got the audience motivated. I am very thankful that Canada seems to be able to produce stars who seem to be like regular people and continue to be interested in the world around them.
Paul Brandt is a really nice guy as well. at the end of the shows he stayed on for quite a long time to sign autographs and talk with the all the fans who waited to have their pictures taken with him. I could hear him talking to all his fans, and he really engages them. He has the patience of Job. This kind of genuine concern can't be faked, so two really big thumbs up to Paul Brandt. He thrilled quite a few people those nights.
Paul Brandt and High Valley are touring across Canada right now, so if you are a country music fan and they are coming to your town, I would suggest picking up some tickets (if they aren't already sold out). These two acts make for a most entertaining evening. I'm not a big country music fan, but if I listen to more High Valley music, I just might be converted, it's that good.
I'm also extremely pleased at the generosity shown by the good folks in Belleville and Peterborough. 32 sponsorships is quite a good result, so a very big thank you to the country music fans in both communities. You are making a big difference in the world.
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