Kaps for Kate is a huge success - on more than one level!

Last night was the Bluevale Kaps for Kate, organized by our colleague Martin LaCoste. It was a concert lead by the Knight Kaps with guest performances by Bluevale’s Chamber Choir, the staff of the Bluevale Music Department, a staff band named “Staff Infection” (OK, you gotta love that name!), Shane Guse, Mary-Catherine McNinch-Pazzano, Nancy Kidd and John McLelland. I knew it was going to be an amazing concert, but I wasn’t prepared to be completely blown away. These people are all so wonderfully talented…and they gave up their time and energy for Kate’s Kause.

I can’t quite describe the feeling this performance gave me. I felt the full range of emotions in a short 2-hour span! I LOVED all the songs! We got to hear the 4 teachers of the Bluevale Music Department sing and to say they were amazing doesn’t do them justice. And the Knight Kaps (4 person acapella group) can do more than just sing – they can perform too! My music career only consisted of 3 years of trying to play the flute, but I did spend a lot of time on stage dancing. It’s not easy to put yourself out there in front of a large crowd, so I can appreciate what these kids had to do. You’d never believe this group was made up of high school kids. They are confident, smooth, talented, and so, so funny! At one point, my face hurt from smiling and laughing so much! I thoroughly enjoyed myself and didn’t want their performance to end! Thank you Jake, Cameron, Graeme and Martin - WOW! 

As usual, the Bluevale Chamber Choir was second to none. I love when they surround the audience instead of staying on stage to sing. It’s like surround-sound but 1000x better. They sang one of my favourites: It takes A Village. I’ll try to find the lyrics for you so you can have an idea of the power this song elicits. You can guess by the title what it  is about, but I really like it because reinforces that the village who raises the child not only shares in the joy, but also the burden. So as I sat there listening to what I think is the most perfect sound (voices of children), I was overcome with emotion. I felt like they were singing it just for me, like it was just them and me in the church and nothing else mattered. And that it doesn’t matter that there will be hard days ahead, because there’s an amazing community behind us. We are not alone. It’s such a powerful message and it means even more coming from these outstanding teenagers. Bluevale singers: I will never, ever forget what you did for me and how you made me feel so much better. Kate’s apparent seizure last weekend threw me back to where I was around the time of her diagnosis: life felt dismal, it was hard to get out of bed in the morning, and I didn’t know how I’d get through the day. I am in a much better place after last night – thank you so much for that, Bluevale!

Most importantly, I am unbelievably touched by what these kids did for Kate’s Kause, and in turn did for us. We are always appreciative of people who reach out to us and make a difference because it lets us know we’re not alone in this journey with Kate. Last night was the first time I felt that with every fibre of my being. Thank you – I will hold onto last night and never forget.