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HAPPY HALLOWE’EN!
Volume 78 • No. 24
PM40011904
INSIDE Observer Hallowe’en Costume Contest - See page 3 for details
Missoula Children’s Theatre – page 2
Day Spa – page 3
Front Porch Interiors – page 3
– pages 12 & 13
Friday, October 31st, 2014
Arcola Optimists bring Music City to the Mac By Lynne Bell The Arcola Optimist Club transformed the town’s MacMurray Theatre into Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe, in an effort to raise the roof-and the profile- of the town’s historic hall, as they welcomed Nashvillebased singer-songwriters Victoria Banks, Phil Barton, and Emily Shackleton to the stage on Oct. 25. “I’m just really happy we had a chance to put on such a great show,” said Optimist Club secretary-treasurer Glen Lawson. “We had a close-to sellout crowd, and the community’s response was great. I’d just like to thank everyone for coming out and I’d also like to thank our sponsors. Without their support and generosity, we couldn’t have put on a show of this calibre.” “This gives us a leg-up on getting the whole renovation done. It gives us a chance to do immediate repairs to the roof so we can make sure we save things,” adds Lawson. “I can’t thank Emily, Phil and Victoria enough for coming out. They gave us a great evening and were so supportive of this project, even donating a portion of their CD sales for the evening to the fund.” The accomplished trio often write together in Nashville, and have collectively and individually composed a catalogue of hit songs-recorded by Sara Evans, Lee Brice, Wynonna Judd, Johnny Reid, and Jessica Simpson, and others. Barton and Shackleton have also written songs that have been featured on the television series ‘Nashville.’ “Victoria Banks has hosted Telemiracle three times and has a new CD, ‘Indigo’ that was released Oct. 7,” said Lawson. “She was named Female Artist of the year in 2010 and Songwriter of the Year by the Canadian Country Music Association. She’s also written songs for people like Sara Evans and Johnny Reid.”
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Staff photo by Lynne Bell
The Arcola Optimist Club brought a night in Nashville to the town’s historic MacMurray Theatre on Oct. 25. ‘A Night at the Bluebird Cafe’ featured Nashville singer-songwriters (l-r) Emily Shackleton, Victoria Banks, and Phil Barton,who have all written hits for numerous country artists. The performance was “not only a great show, but it enabled us to fundraise for the theatre and also use the Mac to its full potential,” according to Glen Lawson of the Arcola Optimists.
Staff photo by Lynne Bell
(l-r) Phil Barton, Victoria Banks, Arcola Optimist Club member Glen Lawson and Emily Shackleton pause for a picture after the Arcola Optimist Club’s ‘A Night at the Bluebird Cafe’. The fundraising concert was held in the town’s historic MacMurray Theatre, and Nashville singer-songwriters, Barton, Banks and Shackleton were unaninous in their praises of the theatre’s charm, authenticity, and acoustics. The event was a “near-sell-out,” according to Lawson, and proceeds will go to the continued renovation and restoration of the heritage building. DICKENS VILLAGE FESTIVAL Carlyle, SK Dec. 5th - 6th
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