
I’m excited about it. I used to bring my kids and now I’m taking my grandkids. It’s great that families don’t have to leave the community for good entertainment. When they realize the quality of the experience we can give the kids, in our town in an awesome theatre, they are happy.”
Carol Stockford
one of the founders of the original Kids & Co
It’s not often you see little kids dancing, laughing and being silly in a 150-year opera house.
But it sure brings the place to life.
And it’s exactly what happened at the Aylmer Old Town Hall last month, when children’s entertainer Dan the Music Man took the stage for an energetic debut of the town’s relaunched Kids & Company performance group.
“It was really wonderful,” said Mike Sereda, chair of Kids & Company. “Children were having fun and parents and grandparents were laughing and talking and singing along. The sense of community was really strong.”
The event was also a perfect way for Aylmer Performing Arts Council to re-introduce Kids & Company – a beloved group that had folded in 2017 after 23 years of bringing top-quality, affordable, live children’s shows to Aylmer.
With support from many in the community, APAC used federal pandemic recovery funds allocated by United Way Elgin Middlesex to bring the organization back as a new program under the council’s performing arts umbrella.
‘I used to bring my kids and now I’m taking my grandkids’
“I’m excited about it. I used to bring my kids and now I’m taking my grandkids,” said Carol Stockford, who was one of the founders of the original Kids & Co. “It’s great that families don’t have to leave the community for good entertainment. When they realize the quality of the experience we can give the kids, in our town in an awesome theatre, they are happy.”
APAC’s goal is to make great music and theatre affordable for Aylmer residents by bringing big names to the small town for reasonable prices. Past performers include John McDermott, Rik Emmett, Emm Gryner, Dan Hill and, earlier this year, Ron Sexsmith and Chad Price.
All performances take place at Old Town Hall, a spectacular theatre that has had the Union Jack painted on its ceiling for more than a century. APAC keeps ticket prices low by relying on volunteers and sponsors who aim to ensure all community members may attend despite socio-economic status.
Struggling to stay afloat since pandemic
Still, it had been struggling to stay afloat since the COVID-19 pandemic, when due to restrictions, the organization canceled performances for more than two years.
Realizing they needed a new strategy to engage volunteers and stay relevant, APAC organizers recalled that years earlier, the publisher of the local Aylmer Express wrote an editorial saying APAC should pick up Kids & Co.
“When we saw there was an opportunity for the grant through United Way, that seemed like our chance to do it,” said Sereda. “It helped us look at things differently.”
Funding has sparked new flow of donations, sponsorships
Adding kids programming to its portfolio has already been a boost for APAC, sparking a new flow of donations and sponsorships from loyal businesses and service clubs in the area.
And it’s been a treat for the growing community of 8,000, which includes many families and a significant Low German speaking Mennonite community whose families often have several children.
“It’s been a great way to bring kids together for good, wholesome, no-tech activities,” said APAC co-ordinator and consultant, Nicole Pressey. “It can be hard to find a lot of family activities in a small town, so to make something affordable for a family of five is just really appreciated.”
“This funding is helping us keep our ticket prices reasonable, which is so amazing for outreach, and I’m just excited to be involved in it.”
APAC is one of 26 organizations United Way Elgin Middlesex allocated to receive funding from the Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund to address needs that have emerged or increased since the start of COVID-19.
Relaunch draws praise, volunteers
APAC used the funds to hire a project co-ordinator & consultant to help with marketing and volunteer coordinating and to strengthen the organization.
As an organization, it’s already stronger.
“I asked about five people to volunteer, and they immediately said yes,” said Kevin Morrell owner of a local art gallery and longtime member of APAC. “And at a meeting, an ex-mayor got up and commended us for getting Kids & Co going again.”
Cheryl Duffett is one of those new volunteers. She was motivated to help by her fond memories of bringing her children and foster children to the shows when they were younger.
“It was just so much fun to head on to the library and go upstairs and have this wonderful experience,” said Cheryl.
“My daughter attended and now she’ll be bringing her daughter.”
See the full list of funded projects and for more information about the Community Services Recovery Fund.
Topics : CSRF