Musicians from the National Arts Centre Orchestra will present their annual FanFair concert on Dec. 15 in the NAC lobby, a Christmas tradition that brings the Ottawa community together to support two local charities.
The National Arts Centre Orchestra Players’ Association hopes to raise more than $30,000 for the Snowsuit Fund and the Ottawa Food Bank during the month of December.
“Every dime that we raise goes to those two organizations,” says Lawrence Vine, principal French horn with the NACO.
“It’s a great way for us to give back to the community and it’s wonderful for our profile, so it’s a really important event for the musicians.”
Now in its 25th year, the concert has become increasingly popular. Originally held at Fifth Avenue Court in the Glebe, Vine says the concert quickly outgrew the venue, prompting a move to its current home in the NAC lobby.
As popular as the concert has become, another draw is the pre-concert bake sale organized by the Friends of the National Arts Centre Orchestra.
According to Christine McLaughlin, FanFair co-ordinator for the friends group, the bake sale raised almost $1,500 last year, and the delicious offerings disappear quickly.
“We sell out in half an hour,” she says. “It’s quite remarkable.”
According to its website, the Ottawa Food Bank feeds roughly 48,000 people every month, 37 per cent of whom are children.
Michael Maidment, executive director of the Ottawa Food Bank, says fundraisers like FanFair are critical for keeping up with the demand for food throughout the city, especially during the holiday season.
“Without these events we could never meet the need in the community,” he says.
The Snowsuit Fund is an Ottawa-based charity that raises money to buy and distribute snowsuits to children aged 15 and under. In 2012–2013, the fund provided more than 16,000 new snowsuits to children in need.
Krista Kealey, director of communications for the fund, says the fund and the food bank benefit in more ways than one from their partnership with the NACO.