ECIP’s Milkman’s Sons Cabaret Fundraiser
ECIP’s fundraising goal for this year 2017 is $10,000 and thanks to the Milkman’s Sons, Friday night’s Cabaret fundraiser at the Legion helped to achieve over ten percent of that goal! According to Krista Koch, Early Interventionist for South Central Saskatchewan says the Early Childhood Intervention Program (ECIP) is “a non-profit organization that works with children 0-6 years old that are experiencing developmental delays.” ECIP got its start in 1983 and since then, has provided support to hundreds of special needs children and families living in Moose Jaw and the surrounding South-Central SK region. Through ECIP’s help, as well as through the teamwork ECIP has established with other helping agencies and professionals, these children have reached developmental milestones and individual goals. The cabaret, said Koch, is “mainly about exposure [for the organization].” ECIP has helped children and families with specific programming and strategies by facilitating transitional planning, collaborative team approaches, and providing educated staff and interventionists to assist developmentally-delayed children. They also offer visits for the children in areas which the children are most comfortable, such as at home, including parents and family members, in addition to accompanying families when they attend appointments or developmental meetings for their special needs children. According to vocalist, Mickey Kupchyk, the Milkman’s sons formed in 2013 and got their first big break in January 2015 when they had the opportunity to perform at The House of Blues in Chicago with the Tragically Hip, followed by an opportunity to play at Craven Big Valley Jamboree. The band first played in Moose Jaw at Bobby’s Place in 2014, and began playing charity events the following year. The Milkman’s sons performed for the ECIP fundraiser, their fourth fundraiser event for 2017, drawing in the crowd with their entertaining mix of genres, from classic to modern rock, blues to country and a little bit of everything in-between. The band was planning to do a cabaret in Moose Jaw, rented the Legion Hall and sent out social media requests for a charity with which to partner. ECIP responded, and because they had been in touch with the Milkman’s Sons but had been unable to set something up in 2016, Kupchyk said they seemed like the obvious choice this time around. As Kupchyk said, TheMilkman’s Sons took all the risk covering all expenses. “Not only did ECIP raise a significant amount of money, they also were able to get their message out to a new group of people. All and all, it was a successful event and we started talking about doing something bigger and better next year.”
ECIP expressed huge thanks and grati- tude for the band’s support, in addition to extending their appreciation to all those who came out and contributed. The funds raised at Friday’s cabaret are part of several annual fundraisers which ECIP has planned that allow the community to become involved and contribute. In the past, ECIP has held a major Halloween bash which incorporated some of the smaller fundraising events, but this year they chose to instead have the series of smaller fundraisers rather than the bash. Smaller fundraisers have included a steak night, an annual spring trade show, a duck pond at Sidewalk Days, a third annual progressive 50/50 in addition to Friday’s cabaret which also incorporated a penny parade full of gifts donated by several anonymous donors. Everyone is welcome to get in on the progressive 50/50 anytime between now and the November 28th draw date.
For more information about the Milkman’s Sons, visit http://milkmanssons. com
If you would like to become involved or donate to ECIP, contact southcentral.ecip@sasktel.net or telephone 306.692.2616. You can also get more information by visiting the ECIP website at www.southcentralecip.com .