For fans of country music as well as the King himself, Elvis Presley, they may want to mark their calendars for Saturday, September 30 as a special musical fundraising event will take place at the Outlook Legion Hall in support of Wounded Warriors Weekend, a yearly series of events spearheaded by dedicated individuals separate from the well-known organization which works to support and honour Canada’s ill and injured troops, veterans, first responders, and their families.
Appearing onstage will be long-time Canadian country singer Blake Emmons, who in addition to enjoying a vast, storied career in music and entertainment, including hosting the CTV television series “Funny Farm” and having the chance to appear on such landmark sitcoms as “Alice”, “Mary Tyler Moore” and “The Golden Girls”, has also spearheaded the Wounded Warriors Weekend for a number of years and serves as the founder and chairman of the Wounded Weekend Foundation.
In his lifetime, Emmons, who shares his time between Saskatchewan and Nashville, Tennessee, has helped raise over $400 million for children’s charities, and he was also awarded a medal by the USO for his work with the troops during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Alongside Emmons will be noted Elvis Presley tribute artist Jeff Bodner, a native of Chilliwack, BC. With his “Essence of Elvis” presentation summoning the King of Rock n’ Roll, Bodner has competed both nationally and internationally, ranking #1 in the Amateur World in a competition held in Collingwood, Ontario. No stranger to philanthropy himself, Bodner received the RCMP Detachment Commander’s Commendation for outstanding achievement in raising money for the BC Children’s Hospital by successfully climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa.
One of the most prevalent areas in which organizations such as Wounded Warriors tries to put their focus is helping veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. According to Veterans Canada, 9% of all Canadians will have PTSD at some point, and with close to three million working and retired soldiers, veterans, police officers and first responders, the problem is starting to reach epidemic proportions. In North America, the suicide rate among veterans amounts to approximately 22 lives lost per day, so a commitment to advancing awareness of the challenges presented by PTSD is something that Wounded Warriors has made a priority.
The fundraising event held at the Legion Hall on September 30 will also feature 50/50 sales and a cash bar. Doors open at 6:30, with a show time of 8:00. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. For advance ticket purchases, contact Legion President Lyall Campbell at (306) 860-8004 or stop in at the hall during the Legion’s Friday night socials for more information.
For more on Wounded Warriors Weekend, go to www.woundedwarriorsweekend.org.
