The Campbell River band Inclusion has won at Community Living BC WOW 2011 Recognition Award.
Community Living is a provincial agency which offers support and services to adults with developmental disabilities and their families. WOW stands for “Widening our World” and the award honours contributions made towards ensuring community inclusion for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Inclusion was presented their award in Parksville on May 5, where they were also invited to play. A video of the band will be featured soon on www.wowclbc.ca
Inclusion is a group of musicians, who have been playing together for six years. What makes this group unique is that three of its musicians have developmental disabilities.
The band members include Justin Fong (Q-chord), Andrew Wilkes (keyboard), Dwayne Bryant (percussion), John Hollywood (guitar), Kim Thyne (vocals) and Gail McIntosh (vocals). Ed Leo helps with the band’s equipment.
The band members met through their affiliation with the Campbell River and District Association for Community Living.
They began to meet, after hours, and developed a repertoire that has made them a familiar voice in the Campbell River music scene.
The group released their first CD in 2008 and is planning another CD in the near future.
Inclusion will be playing at the MCC World Relief Fair in Black Creek on on Saturday at 11 a.m., and will be hosting an evening of entertainment at the Campbell River Community Centre on June 4, from 7-9 p.m.
Donations will be collected at the June 4 concert for the Campbell River Food Bank. For more information about the band Inclusion, check out their Facebook page.