Kingfest gets a $100,000 grant from Trillium Foundation
By Bill Rea

As this year's Kingfest Music Celebration draws near, its organizers have even more reason to celebrate, courtesy of the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

The Foundation announced last weak that Kingfest will be receiving $100,000 in grants, spread over three years.

"Isn't it exciting that we were so wonderfully gifted to get a Trillium grant?" declared Joan Francis, a member of the festival's organizing committee. "It is really a great statement, on behalf of the province, for the kind of work that we are doing with Kingfest Music Celebration."

Kingfest is going to be Sept. 22 and 23 at the Performing Arts Centre at Country Day School on Dufferin Street in King City. A whole host of entertainers are lined up, and Francis announced Thursday that the sounds of jacksoul and twotime Juno winner David Francey will headline the Saturday night festivities. The program also includes famed Canadian singer and songwriter Murray McLauchlan; Kentucky bluegrass legend Raymond McLain; harmonica wizard Mike Stevens; Quartette, with Sylvia Tyson, Cindy Church, Caitlin Hanford and Gwen Swick; and blues slide guitarist and composer Dr. Joel Krivy of King City.

The York Region chapter of Habitat for Humanity, an independent, charitable housing program dedicated to building homes in partnership with families in need, is a major beneficiary of the festival. The organization builds simple, decent, and affordable houses and provides interest-free mortgages to families who would otherwise not be able to purchase their own home.

The York chapter was founded in 2001 and is one of 69 affiliates across Canada. To-date it has built five homes in the region and is in the midst of building several new ones. Currently, there are more than 5,500 persons waiting for social housing in York.

Tickets to Kingfest are on sale now. General admission is $38.50, and VIP tickets, which includes priority seating and admission to the pre-concert reception, is $72.

They can be obtained online at www.kingfestmusic.com, or at Daniel's Of Nobleton, Piety Ridge Primitives in Schomberg, TD Canada Trust in King City and The Arts Music Store at 274 Eagle St. in Newmarket.

The grant is among the roughly 42.3 million Trillium will be distributing to 32 community groups in York Region and Simcoe County. They were announced last Tuesday by Culture Minister Caroline Di Cocco. many of the benefitting organizations are

involved in healthy living and increased physical activity, as well as cultural pursuits.

"Ontarians are increasingly aware of the need to become and remain active to be healthier," Di Cocco commented. "Through the Foundation's grants to sports and recreation initiatives and infrastructure, communities can deliver better local programs and services, which improve our wellbeing. When Ontarians have more opportunities to participate in sports, fitness and physical activities, our population becomes healthier and more vibrant."

"The impact of funding these types of projects cannot be understated," said Loreta Pavese, grant review team chair. "It improves the quality of life in our communities. Present and future generations will benefit from the funding received today." Other benefitting

agencies include the Canadian Psychiatric Research Foundation, which will be getting $75,000 over three years to promote greater awareness of mental health issues affecting youth in the Greater Toronto Area through a program of workshops for caregivers, educators, youth, social workers, health professionals and family members; Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation, receiving $193,000 over three years to help build the economy of Georgina Island First Nation by establishing a management structure to develop, manage and market tourism initiatives; the Col. Fred Tilston V.C. Branch 385 of the Royal Canadian Legion in Aurora, which is getting $100,000 to renovate the branch building in by repairing the flat roof, replacing the air conditioning/heating units as well as purchasing a new exhaust hood for the kitchen; Heritage Unionville, to get $20,000 to expand the organization's marketing reach and develop a new educational and yearlong promotional program; and the Lake Simcoe Arts Foundation, which will

receive $98,000 over two years to build the capacity and sustainability of Canada's oldest summer theatre by launching a new b u s i n e s s p r o m o t i o n s package and installing new on-line ticketing software.