Storytellers and musicians from True Stories 2022 are pictured at the Old Town Hall in Winchester where two performances were held. From the left, front row: Tom Schoch, Sandra McNeill and Tony Glen. Middle row: Rick Ventrella, Gabriella Thomas, and Jean Pierre Leduc. Back row: Steve Wilmink, Gary Pelow, Sylviane Duval, Murray Barkley, Chantal Tranchemontagne, Patrick Burger and Harmony Koiter.  Courtesy Photo

CHESTERVILLE – A Bunch of People Arts and Events have been entertaining the community while raising money for the House of Lazarus in Mountain.

This past year the organization raised $2,200, which was donated to HOL on Dec. 20. The money represents the profit from the six events the organization held in 2022. “The goal is to have fun, doing things we love to do, music, writing, acting, singing and while doing it the money raised goes to House of Lazarus in our community to help people when they need a bit of help,” explained Amanda Burger, president, and founder of ABOP.

The six events included the popular Writing in 150 competitions. It provided four genres for participants to choose from. These included fiction, non-fiction, poetry/spoken word and song writing. The song writing category, had a new twist in 2022, as it included a partnership between ABOP and the Railroad Recording Company of Chesterville, to record the winning piece. Other events included A Bunch of Sketches, Sing It, the Car Rally/Scavenger Hunt and True Stories. “We had a Pay What You Can Carol Sing and showing of It’s a Wonderful Life,” said Burger who explained the North Dundas Movie Committee partnered in the event. She continued how rehearsal space, when required, has been provided by Armour Development and is located at the North Dundas Business Centre, because all art events occur at the Winchester Old Town Hall.

“ABOP is sponsored by The North Dundas Business Centre, Railroad Recording Company, and the Township of North Dundas. Without these sponsors, we would not be able to do what we do. Finally, ABOP ensures that not only do we provide a donation to help our community, we also ensure our ticket price to our events is low so that the arts are accessible to all.”

Looking forward to 2023, Burger commented how she expects the events will be discussed and finalized in January at the AGM. “I am expecting that our Writing in 150, A Bunch of Sketches and True Stories 2023 will be part of our upcoming events.” She mentioned how the organization is looking at something for St. Patrick’s Day which will benefit Carefor Nor-Dun. “I personally am thinking of one or two other performance events, maybe even a dance piece with all dancers being over 60 years old and a chorus which would work toward a performance of popular songs done in a four-part harmony and performed Acapella (this would be in lieu of Sing it),” mentioned Burger.