Feeding the Souls of the Saanich Peninsula by Jim Townley Imagine for a moment that none of us could speak a language, not a single word … and the only way for us to communicate with each other was through the use of an instrument. Would your musical voice be soft and sweet like the sound of a violin, or loud and forceful like the sound of a kettledrum? Without question, music is the true universal language for all. It provokes various emotions based on the differences in tone and it’s appreciated by people of all ages and cultures. Have you ever known anyone who didn’t like music? For me, it’s been a dependable friend in times of need or inspiration. Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know some of the best local musicians on the Saanich Peninsula and learned a lot about the creative process that
goes along with writing a great song, but the really interesting part for me has been the discovery of the common thread in all of them; their innate desire to make a difference. I’m sure you’ve heard things like this being said before, but I must emphasize this point … they all see the pos-
sibilities of making their world better, even if it’s in their own backyard. We came together through what started as the weekly Thursday night Open Mic at Fresh Cup in Sidney, to share music first and bits of ourselves second. What ended up happening was we developed a deep founded friendship, the kind that
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happens when you get selected for an All-Star team made up of people from all over the place (if you’ve had this experience, you understand my analogy) who come together for a common goal. Our common goal was to help the Sidney Lions Food Bank raise money to offset the 50-percent increase in demand that they’ve experienced over the past year. While that’s what brought us together, it’s not what keeps us together. What has kept us together over the past year is the music, and the special moments of greatness; seeing two people who have never met sit down and jam away together on a song that maybe one of them knows better than the other, but both love just the same … or a group jam song that sounds amazing with nine musicians all playing at the same time! The “Feed The Soul” CD was my debut as a producer and I’ve quickly realized that making a CD is one thing – marketing it is another thing altogether. It’s kind of like carrying a baby to term … and then the real work begins! A big thank you goes out to Allison and Tim of Seaside Times and the musicians for their commitment all year long. There are a lot of great causes out there today; too many if you really think about it. We’re in a time where our community needs help from everyone to ensure families and individuals are nourished properly, and the 50-percent increase in demand on our local food bank over the past four months speaks loudly to the challenges that we’re facing together. I hope you consider buying the CD from one of the local retailers on the Saanich Peninsula and, if you do, you’re making a difference in your own backyard … or should I say “Our Backyard?” Visit www.feedthesoul.ca and stay tuned for Feed The Soul “Season 2,” with auditions coming this January.