Learn more about events in support of Huntington Society of Canada (HSC) across the country, as well as tips and tricks for your event!

January 25, 2017

Rocking for a Cure

The crowds are piling in and the building is full of anticipation. The lights start to dim and suddenly and there is a spotlight on stage. As the first chords of the opening act's song echo through the venue, the crowd goes wild.

Everyone is excited, everyone is having fun and everyone is united in finding a cure for Huntington disease (HD).

Does it sound too good to be true? Well it could be true by hosting a concert to benefit HD in your area, just as the London Chapter did in 2016 and as the Niagara Chapter is planning for this February.

Almost a year after their first official tour, "Let's Boogie for HD", Eli and the Straw Man continue to partner with Huntington Society Chapters to participate in benefit concerts for the cause. Trumpeter, percussionist and singer for the indie roots rock band, Tam Maiuri, is eager to continue this collaboration with chapters. "These concerts are mutually beneficial in that we reach an audience that may not otherwise hear our music, while creating awareness about HD among music fans that wouldn't otherwise know about the disease," says Maiuri. Maiuri's grandfather passed away with HD and now her mother is also showing symptoms, so the cause is close to her heart.

Eli and the Straw Man performed at their first chapter concert in London, Ontario in October of 2016.

Hosting a concert may sound like a large, overwhelming event to produce, but it is easier than you think. The planning of a concert event can easily be broken into smaller steps, and the band often helps with logistics. By following these basic steps, you will be on your way to rocking for a cure in no time:

1) Make contact with the band. Eli and the Straw Man can be reached through email (eliandthestrawman@gmail.com) or on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/eliandthestrawman).

2) Work with the band to set an event date that works for your chapter, the band and the venue of your choice.

3) Contact the National Office at events@huntingtonsociety.ca  with event details so they can create tickets, posters, media advisories, e-blasts and more for the event.

4) Promote the event using social media, word of mouth and print materials. The band can help by promoting the event through their own outlets as well.

5) Sell tickets for the event, keep track of expenses and communicate your selling progress with the National Office regularly for selling tips and strategies.

6) Arrange with your venue what time you are able to set up on the concert day. On event day, prepare the venue, communicate with the band and ensure volunteers have all necessary resources.

7) HAVE FUN.

Rob Martin, organizer of the Niagara concert, recommends chapters who are considering planning a benefit concert to also plan early and include a silent auction component. "Two months was not a long time for us to plan an event. A lot of donors have a six month time frame before they even consider giving a donation," says Martin. Although the chapter did receive a lot of positive response for silent auction items for the show despite their tight timeline, they intend to utilize a longer preparation time if this becomes a yearly event.

See for yourself how easy and fun it is to plan an event filled with music, prizes and awareness by contacting events@huntingtonsociety.ca for more information or to start planning!

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Do you like music? Do you want to raise funds and awareness for HD? Are you in the Niagara area? Come out to Seneca Queen Theatre on Saturday, February 11 for the Eli and the Straw Man Concert and Silent Auction to Benefit HD with special guest Whitney Pea. Doors open at 7 p.m. and all proceeds will go directly to the Huntington Society of Canada to support families in Canada impacted by HD and Juvenile HD. Find more information here and follow this link to purchase tickets!

January 05, 2017

Home for the Holidays in Pincher Creek


After hearing the news of a new national initiative called the “Holiday Hustle for HD” long-time volunteer and friend of the Society Bev Everts started thinking about how she could bring the Holiday Hustle spirit to her community of Pincher Creek, Alberta. Bev alongside friends and family got to work planning a community walk and social called “Home for the Holidays Hustle” to happen on Boxing Day.

On December 26th, over 75 people gathered in small town Pincher Creek to walk and snowshoe in support of long-time friend Cas Main Freeman. Cas has been living with HD for over 20 years, many in the community have been inspired by her and have learned so much about Huntington disease.

Singing happily, “We will walk with each other, we will walk, we believe.” everyone walked through the windy, snowy cold conditions. Event organizer Bev Everts said “A world free from HD looks like our winter windy, often weary, Pincher Creek. The road ahead may be hard to see, but it is in the power of togetherness and community that we remain ever hopeful. We see glimpses of what spirited people coming together can do when they believe. With a song in our hearts and hustle in our steps, there will be a world free from HD — we believe!”


The Pincher Creek “Home for the Holidays Hustle” raised over $5000.00 to help fund research and provide support services for those affected by HD. Pincher Creek is a great example of how your community can participate in the “Holiday Hustle for HD”. A big thank you goes out to Bev Everts and the community of Pincher Creek. Your spirit has left a warm feeling in our hearts this holiday season.