Vegas Meets Regina at the Fillmore Family’s Fowl Fête

Walking into the Hellenic Community Centre on Vancouver’s Westside on the evening of November 12, 2005 there’s a possibility you could have seen a cow in ballet slippers playing a saw with a violin bow. You might have heard the crowd cheering wildly for a troupe of talented tap dancers—while most of the audience were secretly imagining themselves tapping on the stage.  You could have caught a glimpse of Rhinestone cowboys strutting in Vegas-meets-Regina style or perhaps you would have witnessed the longest cowboy mambo line that would have brought even Buster Pointdexter to tears. But no matter what time you arrived, you would have seen Linda and Doreen Fillmore of the Fillmore Family Foundation presiding over the 6th annual Prairie Fairies Fowl Supper, their signature fundraiser for three AIDS organizations: A Loving Spoonful, Dr. Peter Centre and McLaren Housing Society. This years theme? Viva Las Fillmore!
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Putting A Shine On McLaren

Benjamin Palmer turns boot blacking into Green for Mclaren Housing. It’s a typical Saturday night in the Pumpjack Pub on Davie Street: the lights are dim and the air is scented with hops and leather. Among the busy taps and floor littered with peanut shells good things are happening for McLaren Housing Society. more

Ben Gets Back

Four years ago, Benjamin Mageau considered checking out of life. Despair, depression, hoplessness and confusion were familiar parts of his daily routine. Returning to Vancouver from San Francisco following an absence of more than a decade proved to be an extremely difficult transition: Vancouver had changed, rent prices had skyrocketed and it was unheard of to find a clean, safe place downtown to call home for less than $900/month. more