A long list of Newfoundland and Labrador performers take to the stage at the Mary Brown’s Centre in St. John’s tonight to help raise funds for Hurricane Fiona relief efforts on the province’s southwest coast.
The hurricane slammed into the region on September 24, bringing with it a storm surge that pulled some homes into the ocean and destroyed or damaged others, leaving hundreds of lives in ruin.
Shanneyganock frontman Chris Andrews says tonight’s We Stand on Guard Again concert came together in just three short weeks, but features some of the best of what Newfoundland and Labrador artists have to offer.
Donate now to @WeStandOnGuard2 broadcasting live tomorrow evening @590VOCM & in person @MBCentre_SJSEL
Text FIONA to 30333 or visit: https://t.co/TV6pM2uj7D
Show time 7:30pm, Sunday. featuring @shanneyganock, @kellieloder, @CONDESCENDANT, @justinfancy & more #irishNL #YourVOCM pic.twitter.com/aCXvjXAfLf
— YOUR VOCM (@590VOCM) October 29, 2022
Area MHA Andrew Parsons sees the strain on people’s faces every day. He welcomes tonight’s benefit as they face a massive challenge in getting people’s lives back in order.
“Take someone’s mortgage for example; what will a new one look like, what about interest rates?” He says their aim is to get their lives as close as possible to what they had before—but in some cases, that’s going to be very difficult.
Host Johnny Harris says it’s tough to be funny in the face of such serious circumstances, but humour is the way many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and Canadians as a whole have gotten through hardship in the past. He’s drawn from those challenges through hosting Still Standing for the last eight years.
“Everybody loves a good survivor story,” says Harris, and adds that adversity often brings out the best in people including generosity and the willingness to help wherever necessary.
As well, 50 percent of proceeds from today’s sales at all 41 Mary Browns restaurants in the province will be donated to relief efforts through tonight’s We Stand on Guard Again benefit concert.
How early does @MaryBrowns open on Sundays? Asking for a friend. @WeStandOnGuard2 pic.twitter.com/kViXm9crk6
— Greg Smith (@RadioGregSmith) October 29, 2022
The show gets underway this evening at 7:30 p.m. at the Mary Brown’s Centre in St. John’s and will be live-streamed on Your VOCM and the Big Land FM Radio Network.