This would have been the 31st year for Jakestock – the home-grown Gilford music festival that has been bringing the community together over the Labour Day weekend.
But plans for Jakestock were shelved, as well as most other fundraisers for the Gilford Community Hall, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The last fundraising event at the hall was a St. Patrick’s Day party on March 13 – just before the lockdown became province-wide.
“That was it,” said Lori McIntyre. Since then, there have been no fundraisers, no hall rentals, no income coming in to help offset expenses, like taxes.
“It’s been difficult,” she said, admitting that the cancellation of Jakestock was a big blow. Since 2012, the festival has been a fundraiser for the Community Hall. In fact, noted McIntyre, “This is our biggest fundraiser of the year.”
With Ontario finally in stage 3 of its COVID recovery, things are beginning to look up. The hall has reopened for rentals, although renters are asked to follow COVID-19 protocols – and on Sunday, instead of Jakestock, the hall board held a fundraising Bottle Drive, asking residents and supporters to drop off beer bottles and cans, wine bottles and alcohol containers.
The community responded. Donors dropped off bottles, and well over 2,000 beer cans between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
The Gilford Community Hall, which can trace its roots back to the 1800s, is one of the last community-owned and operated halls in Ontario. Meeting the bills is always a challenge, but the board has a number of other events planned in the months ahead.
The Board is looking at an online raffle, and there are plans to hold real, live, in-person Bingo nights at the hall, for free.
“That means there will be no cash prizes,” warned organizer Heather Westcott – but donations will be welcomed.
Would-be supporters of the hall are also being encouraged to show their support for a Gilford institution by donating to the hall. For more information, and to keep up-to-date with upcoming events, click here.
