2009 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ∙ MARCH 23, 2009 ∙ HIGHLIGHTS
The Downtown Nanaimo Art Gallery was host to this year’s Nanaimo Blues
Society Annual General Meeting.
Current President, Ed Poli noted that 2008 was a great year for the
Society: Summertime Blues! 2008 almost doubled its attendance
from 2007 and, judging by the comments from musicians, volunteers and
attendees, the performances ranged from awesome to fantastic!
The Society also had a successful Cultural Capitals of Canada
partnership with the City of Nanaimo and Sky High Productions to
recruit, audition, and train youth on how to be a professional “Blues
rocker”. These talented young musicians learned from many of Nanaimo’s
best and formed the “Sidewalk All Stars” featured at our youth
showcases at Summertime Blues! 2008.
The Blues Underground which has grown from a grubby, graffiti covered
basement full of trash into a funky Blues Can has now taken on a life of
its own and, as of October 1, 2008, has been operating independently of
the Nanaimo Blues Society.
The Society again put on three hepped up and well attended Blues dances
in the Spring, at Hallowe’en and on New Year’s Eve. The Blues list
received 129 emails in 2008 about events happening in and around
Nanaimo; and the Nanaimo Blues Society website is now functional and
regularly updated.
Three Board members had to step aside in 2008 due to other commitments
– many thanks to Tom Dodge Val Lucas and
éminence grise, Billieboy Lucas who will continue in his role as
Musical Director for the Summertime Blues! Treasurer Ron Ashton
reported that the Society was in the black for 2008 with a net revenue
of $6396.33. Three new directors were elected to the Board; and at the
Board meeting, immediately following the AGM, the Directors elected its
executive. 2009 NANAIMO BLUES SOCIETY DIRECTORS
President: Ed Poli
Vice President: Jeff Tomlinson
Secretary: Wally Wells
Treasurer: Ron Ashton
Directors: Keith Davenport, Steve
Lalonde, Nancy Mitchell, Valerie Mumford.
Thanks also to Albert Moreau who
volunteered to be our Membership Coordinator, and to Ruth Merx who
volunteered to work on Events!
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
ANOTHER GREAT YEAR!!!
The Nanaimo Blues Society (the Society) is a BC registered non-profit society that was founded in October 2004 and is led by a committed volunteer board with a passion for Blues music and a desire to add to the culture and vitality of Nanaimo.
The Society's aims are to:
- Establish, promote and maintain
Summertime Blues! an annual world class Blues Festival in downtown Nanaimo, BC drawing from the wealth of fine blues musicians in BC, across the country and around the world;
- Develop and present other musical events that will provide enjoyment for the community, showcase Nanaimo and area musical talent, build understanding of and appreciation for the Blues and stimulate the local economy;
- Develop ways to engage youth in music, and provide youth with opportunities for musical education and development;
- Foster and encourage mentorship among musicians and create opportunities (workshops, jams etc) for education, networking and exchange of knowledge; and
- Build lasting partnerships with Nanaimo area businesses and organizations in support of the Society's objectives.
"Bringing the Blues to Nanaimo" is the tag line used by the Society on all of its promotional material and membership literature. It’s our mantra and our primary reason for existence. The Society's aims are directed at developing ways to ensure that the history, nature and practice of the Blues is accessible to as wide an audience as possible
The Society has organized and presented four highly successful, annual Summertime Blues! festivals and is hard at work planning
Summertime Blues! 2009. These are free outdoor Blues festivals held in downtown Nanaimo featuring local, provincial, national and internationally renowned Blues musicians.
See the Summertime Blues! page for more information about the 2009 Festival.
In 2007, the Society established the Blues Underground, a workshop venue which has been instrumental in creating
opportunities for education, networking, exchanging knowledge and mentorship
about the Blues and Blues music. Opening the Blues Underground enabled the
Society to form its own band: the "Nanaimo Blues Society All Stars" who made
their debut at the Summertime Blues! 2007 and have performed at a number of community events since then.
The Society also organizes and participates in a numerous community activities
throughout the year such as dances, charity fundraisers, parades and trade
shows.
The Society currently has no paid staff. Work is performed by the 8 member volunteer Board and a core of volunteers from among the Society's 250+ paid members.
For more information and/or you are interested in joining The Nanaimo Blues Society please
email us at:
info@nanaimoblues.com.
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