P.E.I. variety show to salute military, RCMP past and present

Military and RCMP members past and present will be feted with a special fundraiser variety show held at Holland College in Charlottetown next Wednesday.

A crew of 60 people, including 40 performers, are putting together Salute!, which will raise money for theP.E.I. Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC).

There will be singing, dancing, storytelling, comedy and bagpipes, with planned performances from the P.E.I. Regimental Band, the Holland College School of Performing Arts, Generation Drum and Rawlins Cross singer Joey Kitson, among others.

The show's director Catherine O'Brien, who will be performing as well, said she is incredibly excited.

"Every time we've been rehearsing, I get goosebumps," she told CBC Radio'sMainstreet.

"A big variety show is a great way to get people entertained and informed at the same time."

'Very big undertaking'

TheMFRChelps those who have servedby providing services like emergency child care, second-language training, assistance finding work and access to counseling services.

"This is a way of having fun but getting our message out as well," saidDonna Earl,the executive director of theMFRC.

The centre gets funding from the federal government, but relies on fundraisers to help expand what they can offer.

She called the show a "very big undertaking."

Veteran Eric Payne, the event's emcee, said the variety show is a way for him to give back to those who served. He is looking forward to telling stories between each of the show's acts.

"It's P.E.I. so we're all there to have a great time and to celebrate veterans and programs that are provided."

The show will be held at HollandCollege'sFlorence Simmons Performance Hall on Nov.9, starting at 7 p.m.

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |Elections P.E.I.: That's not us calling you
• MORE P.E.I. NEWS|Distracted driving convictions down on P.E.I., 'harder to catch' say police