A Valentine’s community dance is set to celebrate diversity in Powell River.
Sponsored by Safe Harbour: Respect For All program, the dance will take place from 6 to 10 pm on Friday, February 14 at Cranberry Seniors’ Centre.
“The excitement doesn’t stop all night,” said Evangeline MacDonald, Safe Harbour coordinator. Bryn Politylo from The Stinging Nettles band will delight participants with bluegrass/folk music with a blues twist. Michelle LaBoucane will lead a dance exploration of inner rhythms, and MacDonald will teach the “electric slide.” There will be dance music from around the world.
MacDonald quotes Barak Obama with “...in diversity, there is beauty and there is strength.” She sees Powell River as an example of this beauty, how people with varied ethnic backgrounds, faiths and philosophies, economic status, sexual orientations and educational backgrounds make up the community. The Valentine’s Community Dance will celebrate this diversity.
“This dance is for all people who want to share Valentine’s Day with others,” she said, “for parents to share a dance with their kids, for families to have an affordable night out, for seniors who still like to get their groove on, for youth who want a night out with friends, for people on a first date, for singles who don’t care if they have a date, for everyone, so bring the extended family and the in-laws too.“
Door prizes, a contest for the Best Dressed in Red and White for all ages, prizes for being the youngest and oldest to attend the dance, and a draw for finding the spelling error in some of the posters will add to the night’s fun.
The dance is supported by Safe Harbour certified locations, local businesses and organizations. “It is our diverse community that supports local economy,” said MacDonald. “The Safe Harbour certified locations in Powell River that have received this diversity training have taken the extra step to show they recognize that diversity is valued, both in the workplace and in the Powell River region.” The Safe Harbour decal is displayed on business entrances to show they have been certified.
Admission to the dance is $5 for adults, $2 for youth and seniors, with children admitted free, and families for only $10. Tickets are available at the door. Participants may bring their own snacks and refreshments, and MacDonald said, “We are proud to be a Zero Waste event.”
For more information about Safe Harbour and the dance, or to volunteer at the dance, readers may contact MacDonald at 604.485.2675, email [email protected] or visit Powell River Diversity Initiative on Facebook (events). Funding for the program is provided by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.
