It’s the end of an era, but not the legacy. This year marks the 16th and the final Celebration of Life Day in Renfrew. An annual event that started as a dance to celebrate living, has grown into a full day of community support for local health services. Janet Robertson, who was battling her first round of cancer, believed area residents should be able to access quality care closer to home, instead of commuting to Ottawa for treatments.
And so the Celebration of Life dance was born. When Janet passed away, her daughters, Alyssa, Amber and April took over the dance in their mother’s memory. But after five years, the girls have decided this will be their last year for the event. Alyssa says this was not an easy decision for them to make.
Friday kicks off with breakfast and a live broadcast of myFM in the morning at the Rocky Mountain House from 7am until 9am, followed by a live broadcast for lunch at Finnigan’s from 11am until 1pm. Then it’s dinner with Renfrew Pizzeria, myFM live on location, from 5pm until 7pm and the dance gets underway at the armouries at 8 o’clock. Musical entertainment is once again The Riley New Band and the Ghost Town Cryers. Tickets for the dance are $10. The girls hope everyone will join them on Friday to honour their mother’s legacy and to celebrate life one more time.
