Square Dancers Choose to Help

The Swinging Swallows Square Dance Club realizes that our recent gift of several hundred dollars to the St Joseph’s Food Bank may not heal the sick nor provide hugs for those in quarantine, and it won’t make up for being apart from family and friends, but we hope our gift will put a smile on some faces.

The Swinging Swallows have always endeavoured to be community minded and, over the years, have given to the community in various ways.

We have entertained the residents at retirement homes and long-term care facilities in the area. Each fall the club collects donations of non-perishable food items to give to area food banks. The Swallows give cash contributions to help folks in need at Christmas time, and we host the Boys and Girls Club at an annual Dinner/Dance in their honour each spring. We dance, when invited, at local events for fun and to demonstrate how easy it is to learn and what a good time we have doing modern square dancing.

The Swallows’ square dance club is a not-for-profit organization and we have been fortunate in recent years in that membership remains relatively high.

As well, last fall we organized and hosted a profitable square and round dance, The Shades of Autumn, that was attended by dancers from all over Ontario. One result of staying close to our nests is that we do not have the usual expenses to keep the square dance club going, and some members, rather than receive a refund, donated their prepaid fees back to the club.

It is important for everyone to work together (though separately these days!) and help one another, especially during these uncertain times. The Swallows choose to share our good fortune with our community and hope that our gift will help others come through this challenging time and be able to smile!

Please visit www.GetUpandDance.ca or Facebook for information about our club. The Swallows will be back in our nest on Pembroke Street East and ready to dance as soon as we are permitted to ‘flock together.’