Tom Henihan
Express Staff
@SmokyRiverExprs
For the past ten years, Ol’ Tyme Family Nite has taken place on the second and last Friday of every month from September to the end of May.
This community event’s tenth anniversary party, happening on January 27, 2017 promises to be an exciting occasion, especially as the regular event has established itself as something of an institution.
Ol’ Tyme Family Nite is social gathering that is always reliable in bringing the community together to dance, have fun and of course to enjoy excellent live music.
Evidence of the cooperative spirit that has made Ol’ Tyme Family Nite such an enduring success, is that many people who were involved at the beginning are still onboard and are as committed and enthusiastic as they were ten years ago.
FCSS Community Development Coordinator Jean Moore-Lemoine who organized the event from the beginning also acknowledges the collaborative spirit that is vital component of the event.
“We have been blessed from the very beginning that we have always had the halls we use for free, from the Legion and McLennan Elks. They volunteer the hall to us all the time.”
An indispensable cornerstone of Ol’ Tyme Family Nite is the musical repertoire and steadfast commitment of the Ol’ Tyme Family Nite Band, comprised of Marie and Gerry Duboise and Dwain Isert.
The band has have volunteered its talents to provide a great night’s entertainment from the very beginning and fiddler William Shaw has made the trip from Gift Lake to sit in with the band almost from the beginning also.
Lou and Pierette L’abbe have also volunteered from the start and are still on hand setting up the hall for every Friday night family event.
“We will be recognizing the Ol’ Tyme Family Nite Band who have been with us for the full ten years and fiddler William Shaw from Gift Lake who has been there most of the ten years,” says Moore-Lemoine. “And Lou and Pierette L’abbe who have been volunteering since day one.”
While the Family Nite Band will be performing of course, the evening will also include special musical guest Duane Steele.
Steele, who spent a number of years working in Nashville, is an award winning Canadian country music artist.
He has released five studio albums and has had a number of songs in the Canadian country charts and a number one hit “Anita Got Married.”
Canadian Country Music Association named Steele Male Artist of the Year in 2001.
The Anniversary party will be held at Ol’ Tyme Family Nite’s usually venue at the Elks Hall in McLennan. Supper begins at 6pm and Duane Steele will perform around 8pm.
People planning to attend who need transportation should phone the FCSS office at (780) 837-2220. FCSS will provide its usual transportation program for $10 round trip.
The tenth anniversary party promises to be an exciting event and as with all the other Ol’ Tyme Family Nites over the past ten years, much of the momentum will come from community members throughout the region: McLennan, Donnelly, Falher and Girouxville who have come out regularly over the past decade to support and enjoy the event.
Tickets are $35 and under twelve $15. There are only 175 tickets available and they go on sale Thursday November 13.