21/09/2023
Hello everyone!
Scott Cressman here! Sorry, this took me so long to post! After a few days of much-needed rest, post-show errands, and jumping between classes, I finally had the time to sit down and reflect on the results of the Throwdown for the Pound fundraiser. The first thing I want to say is that I am incredibly grateful and overwhelmed by the support we received for the event. To all our sponsors, donors, organizers, volunteers, bands, and of course, every person who took it upon themselves to help spread the word and showed up in huge numbers to the show. I had high hopes for how it would go, but it exceeded my expectations! We completely sold out the Cosmo centre and raised a ton of money for the Saskatoon SPCA!
It is with great pride and joy to inform you all that TOGETHER WE RAISED $5000 FOR THE SPCA!!! I’m completely ecstatic with this result! And I promise Throwdown for the Pound will return, bigger and better than ever!
I would now like to take this time to personally thank everyone involved in making this happen. If I missed anyone it was only because there were just a few of you to thank haha please message me and I can fix it! Buckle up because this is going to be a long one!
To our sponsors who answered the call and stepped up to donate raffle prizes, Affinity Credit Union, Hearth Restaurant, AMAZING STORIES, High Noon Barber Shop, and LB Distillers. To our sponsors that pledged funds, Jason Dopko of Saskatoon SK Good TIMES Tattoos, Prairie Dent Repair, Radladz, and Dingwall Guitars. To Threadbare Productions for volunteering their time to run sound and for sponsoring the equipment rental alongside Long & McQuade Musical Instruments, shout out to Thomas Gelley for being a homie and making sure we had everything we needed. All our photographers for their tireless documentation Mac Ulmer, Nathan Boschman of Hybrid Media YXE, Ryan Reiger & Rebecca Schwan of Colourwave Media. Honourable mention to our non-business donors Derek Marchuk and Aimee DeCorby. And to my friend Jim Fear who invited me on his show on CFCR 90.5 FM - Saskatoon Community Radio to talk about the fundraiser! (CFCR is currently fundraising to raise money to keep delivering their amazing community driven radio on the air, be sure to check out all the great event they have going on for FM Phasis and please consider pledging!) All of them also helped promote the event and showed incredible support for the cause. Thank you for having faith in a small community-based fundraiser, we will never forget your generosity!
To my fellow organizer and partner, Sarah Elizabeth Christine for helping coordinate sponsorship, raffle operation, brainstorming, and back-end management and for being my constant source of inspiration and biggest supporter, I love you! Swade Orchard of BEEFY Records for helping plan the event, coordinate volunteers, manage door sales, and overall event operations and for being a huge contributor to organizing live music events both all ages and 19+ in our city, he has been keeping the flame alive for local and touring bands in our scene for years and deserves our support. Colin McGuirk McNeil for aiding us in the booking process of the Cosmo and being instrumental in securing charity rates, answering our many questions, and working tirelessly to provide an accessible space. And of course, all my fellow bandmates of reject.sk – Nick E. Cherney, Jesse Helle, Al Roy & Johnny Lee Becker, for helping coordinate gear share, equipment rentals, and promotion, and for inspiring me with their work ethic to keep pushing forward.
To our many wonderful volunteers, who took time out of their busy lives to aid in the operations of the event, that would not be possible without them. To my mom Norma Cressman & Curtis Sembalerus who helped me so much with storing everything, transporting all the equipment & liquor, as well as sorting the recyclables. Our sound/stage crew Clay Cott of Threadbare Productions came down from Prince Albert and even provided a lot of the equipment saving us rental costs. Sean Nimchuk & Dryden Barnaby for aiding in the setup and stage operations. Swade Orchard and Mark Nicholson for running the door. Sarah Elizabeth Christine and Heather Giroux for running the raffle and drink ticket sales. Owen Woodcock for single-handedly running the bar all night. Again, all our photographers/videographers who were busy as bees documenting the event (I can’t wait to see everything they captured and share it with you all!), Mac Ulmer, Nathan Boschman of Hybrid Media YXE, Ryan Reiger & Rebecca Schwan of Colourwave Media. Not to mention our friendly SPCA reps who came down to the show to promote the shelter and join in the festivities Jemma Omidian & Melissa Biebrick.
And of course, THE BANDS!!! Deadsunday for kicking off the night with a boom, can you believe it was only their 2nd show ever!? The boys in reject.sk for throwing it down and bringing the heavy. Pythonic for being the nicest dudes with the tastiest tunes. Kelevra for driving up from Regina to play for the first time since 2019 and absolutely bringing it. Lastly, to our family in Widow's Peak, who made the trek all the way from Calgary for this one to unleash blistering tech death that is rare in these parts. Every band did their part and contributed what would have been their earnings instead to the fundraiser in a truly wholesome and noble fashion.
To EVERY. SINGLE. PERSON. who helped share the event, invited their friends, came out to the show, moshed their bones to the core and made the night so unbelievably special. Please, keep going to local shows, start a band, volunteer, gas up your friends and make this space your own! Everyone is welcome here, and I hope with all my heart to see more and more people realize their love for live music. If you’re a vet and just rediscovering that passion, or a newcomer shaking off the nerves and coming for the first time! There is a place for you here, and I can’t wait to see you all again.
For the little ones! For our community! SKHC FOREVER!
📸: Colourwave Media
