The next 1st Tuesday Fundraisers sponsored by the Mex Pub on Oct. 2 will feature Sweet SantaFe, Michel Rivero and Christine Baxter, presenting The Songs of Leonard Cohen in support of You Are Not Alone (YANA).
Sweet SantaFe’s incendiary spark began during a Spanish/English choral music cultural exchange in Havana Cuba where Cuban born Michel Rivero Mordoch and southern Alberta songwriter Penelope Christine Baxter first met.
Sweet SantaFe has infectious Cuban Trova style rhythms that get you up and dancing, and cinematographic lyrical scenes that paint the most vivid landscapes of life. Sweet SantaFe’s distinct style has been crafted from influences as diverse as Alison Krauss, and Sarah McLachlan, to Pablo Milanes, and Tom Jobim. This unlikely pairing, conceived in the fishing district of Santa Fe, Havana, Cuba evolved as the two seasoned songwriters listened and learned to speak each other’s language through song.
In 2016 Sweet SantaFe moved from Havana, Cuba to Comox, where they began sharing their music with Canadian audiences.
The evening begins with a warmup set by hosts Coast to Coast at 7:30 p.m.
YANA is a local non-profit society that provides accommodation and funding to Comox Valley families who need to travel outside the community for medical treatment for a child under 19 or for a pregnant mother.
YANA was founded in 1986 by Sandra Williams after her family experienced the financial and emotional devastation of having a very sick child who required treatment at Children’s Hospital for many months in Vancouver.
The organization continues to ensure that families in the Comox Valley are not alone when dealing with medical issues for their children and believes that when a child is ill the whole family requires care. It also provides financial support so families can stay focused on the health and wellness of their child.
YANA maintains four fully furnished apartments within walking distance of Children’s Hospital and also assists with finding and funding accommodation in alternate treatment destinations. In addition to providing accommodation, the organization provides a daily, weekly or monthly allotment of funds to help with costs of travel, food, parking and unexpected expenses.
They also provide the Comox Valley Hospital with funds to make available to local families who have a child or an expecting mother who requires emergency transfer to another hospital. To access service YANA ensures a simple, confidential and supportive process that starts with a phone call, an email or a visit to the office.
The Comox Valley Foodbank Society, (CVFS) a regular at the event, will be there to accept food donations for families in the valley who are in need.