Passing on the FOTMC banner

Oct 27, 2011

Photo: Joan and Roy Shepherd (front right) hand over the FOTMC banner to its newly appointed organizers Mary and Cliff Rines (front left) and are flanked by supporters

Long-time community supporters of the Frontenac Old Time Music Championships gathered outside the Bedford hall on Oct. 23 to officially pass on the banner to the event’s new organizers Cliff and Mary Rines. Joan and Roy Shepherd, who started the event four years ago to help financially support music programs in local schools, officially signed off at this weekend’s jam.

Community members who supported the event over the years were also invited to pose in the photo that included both the founding/outgoing and new organizers. Joan spoke of the ongoing fundraising efforts of jam attendees, who have formed a committee called the Bedford Efficient Energy Project and who over the last year have raised $2000 to upgrade the Bedford hall, which is fast deteriorating due to mold and other structural issues. The committee intends to purchase an air conditioning/heating unit to address the mold problem. The committee has the support of the Bedford District Recreation Committee who in a letter said they had “already made the decision to request that all of our budgeted funds will go towards the mold, safety and structural upgrades needed at the (Bedford) hall.”

Both Deputy Mayor Mark Tinlin and Donna Brown, chair of the Bedford District Recreation Committee, offered letters of support regarding the much-needed upgrades. Deputy Mayor Tinlin stated in a letter that he would “continue to speak out in favour of addressing the Bedford hall structural problems and will urge my fellow councilors to address this issue in planning for the 2012 township budget.”