When Stu Bradley decided to turn ‘Cochrane’s Cowboy Christmas’ from a country-Christmas musical celebration to a fundraiser for lower Benchlands woman, Linda Lavis, he knew he was onto something in a big way.
“Country 105 is going to help us, Air 106.1 from Airdrie is going to help us,” said Bradley of Stu Bradley Productions.
The concert-turned-fundraiser will take place at the Cochrane Alliance Church on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.
Proceeds from the event will go toward rebuilding the house and property of Lavis, a retired schoolteacher whose home was rendered uninhabitable from the June 20 flood which also destroyed several outbuildings and most of her fencing.
The last six months have been a struggle for Lavis, who has been living in former Cochrane mayoral candidate David Smith’s upper Benchlands summer home since her displacement.
Only one of the 10 Benchlands homes affected by the flood has seen the return of its occupants. Lavis is one of four full-time residents from the area.
While residents are eligible to apply for funds through the Disaster Recovery Program, Lavis has so far only received relief for the contents she lost, and continues to struggle with conflicting assessments from structural engineers and contractors on whether or not her home will qualify for structural relief.
Lavis recently learned that the government will be sending someone out to do yet another reassessment; she has hired a private consultant who determined the most feasible solution would be to tear her home down.
Grateful to learn that TransAlta has committed to tearing down her home and removing the debris, she is still faced with looming financial hardship to rebuild her home, outbuildings and fences.
The upcoming benefit concert is something Bradley hopes will be the fire starter to getting the Cochrane community behind Lavis, who is overwhelmed by the outpouring of support.
“I can’t believe how everyone has pitched in right from day one,” said Lavis. “It seems there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”
In addition to award-winning country music performances, the Dec. 6 event will also boast the artwork of a number of Cochrane and area visual artists including Glen Collin, Jeff MacKenzie and Wendy Walker, as well as a guitar display from artisan Ken Connery. The Stockman’s Memorial Foundation will also be on site.
Tickets are $30, available at Legacy Guitar and Coffee House, Bentleys Books and Tony’s Western Wear.
