The Belleville Theatre Guild members on stage during It’s A Wonderful Life George (l-r) Mara Young, Heath Muir, Willi Zaback, Al Zaback, Tim Durkin (Photo: Brad Denoon)
Gleaners Food Bank and the Tri-County Warehouse held their annual gala event at the Banquet Centre on Saturday night and once again, they took their efforts to the stage.
The Belleville Theatre Guild provided actors to assist in this year’s dinner theatre, entitled “It’s A Wonderful Life George”. The story covered the trials of George Bailey (same as the movie), who is forced to stay home, after Mr. Potter closes the bank of Belleville Falls. Potters calls in the loan of the Bailey Building and Loan.
George Bailey and Mary Hatch (Wendy Roy) during It’s A Wonderful Life George (Photo: Brad Denoon)
George finds himself helping out the community, all while trying to live his own life, which includes finding love.
The evening also included a live and silent auction and honoured nearly a dozen different service clubs and businesses in the Quinte region.
It’s A Wonderful Life Narrator Wayne Clark (Photo: Brad Denoon)
Gleaners Spokesperson Susanne Quinlan says over the past five years they have honoured different churches, groups, businesses and leaders in the community. She says it is overwhelming for it to come to the end.
Lady Godiva (Heather Muir) and her pet steed in It’s A Wonderful Life George (Photo: Brad Denoon)
Quinlan expects the final funds raised to be around $25,000. The money will go to purchase food and drink for the Tri-County Warehouse, which services eight local food banks throughout Quinte.
The cast of It’s A Wonderful Life George perform at the Gleaners Gala in Belleville (front l-r) Mara Young (purple), Willi Zaback, Wendy Roy, Steve Halloran. (back l-r) Phil Baldwin, Wayne Clark, Ken Capstick, Al Zaback, Heather Muir, Matthew Bewsky, Tim Durkin (Photo: Brad Dennon to Quinte News)
Numerous dignitaries were on hand for the event including Belleville Councillors Jack Miller, Garnet Thompson and Mitch Panciuk, MP Mike Bossio and Tyendinaga Reeve Rick Phillips, among others.
(l-r) Irene Bossio, Phil Baldwin, Mike Bossio (Photo: Brad Denoon)
(Photo: Brad Denoon)
