Cropo to host fundraising concert for Children’s Hospital

Transcona

Winnipeg

When someone dies, funeral homes help bring the community together to grieve.

But Cropo Funeral Chapel aims to help the community not only during hard times. On Sunday, Sept. 28, Cropo Funeral Chapel’s Transcona location (1800 Day St.) will host a concert to raise funds for the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba, featuring a stacked lineup of local talent.

“We’ve always been involved in giving back to the community,” said general manager Krystel Ballance. “Now, I just want to find different and new ideas and ways that we can do that. I am so excited about this concert. I hope it can become a yearly event.”

The concert includes both traditional and contemporary musical stylings. Mriya Ukrainian Youth Ensemble, a vocal ensemble featuring young singers who came to Winnipeg in 2023, will open the show, followed by Vodohrai Ukrainian Choir, a vocal choir of adult newcomers to Canada. Next up is Wayne Wazny, a versatile performer specializing in polkas, waltzes, and other classic folk and country tunes. Headlining the gig is the Sean Tayler Band, an award-winning local contemporary country act.

“We’ve already sold a number of tickets, which is amazing,” Ballance said. “We’ll have a silent auction, as well.”

The concert came about, Ballance said, at the suggestion of Jeff Kula, a part-time attendant at Cropo and the drummer of the Sean Taylor Band.

“Jeff has an amazing ear for music,” Ballance said. “To introduce all types of music to people coming through our doors, all different types of cultural backgrounds — I’m really excited to see the show.”

“It’s certainly a variety concert,” Kula said. “I was just blown away by how excited everyone is to celebrate music and celebrate cultures, and raise funds for the great work the Children’s Hospital does.”

Kula started working part-time in the funeral industry after he retired a few years ago following a long career teaching music in the River East Transcona School Division. He’s long been interested in bridging those two worlds.

“Some people can be very apprehensive coming through the door (of a funeral home),” Kula said. “But having a celebration and supporting kids in this venue, we want people to see this as a community gathering place.”

Having both a children’s choir perform, and having the concert in the afternoon so that all ages can attend, was important to the team at Cropo.

“I’m a huge proponent of normalizing children coming to these events, but also to funerals,” Ballance said. “Children learn how to grieve at these events. Children also remind people who are there that life continues. I think it’s so important to include children in everything, so to be able to give back to the Children’s Hospital, everyone here was so on board with that.”

Tickets to the concert are $20, with proceeds going to the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba.

“It’s a place that’s close to my heart,” Ballance added.

The concert, which takes place at 1800 Day St., runs from 2 to 4 p.m., with doors open at 1 p.m. A post-concert reception will also be held. To purchase tickets, visit cropobenefitconcert.eventbrite.ca or stop in at Cropo Funeral Chapel’s 1442 Main St. location during business hours.