聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 In a few short months, Gayla and Leon Gilbertson, have re-established the Happy Nun in Forget as a place for people to enjoy each others company, fantastic food, and amazing music.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As they鈥檝e been busy building their business, they have continued to focus on carrying on Don Shakotko (founder of the Happy Nun) and Katie Vinge-Riddell鈥檚 (owner and chef) legacies.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 With thoughts of community a fundraising brunch was held for Teddy Bears Anonymous with a performance by the talented Tenille Arts originally of Weyburn who has been working towards her dreams in the Music City - Nashville.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It was a rather emotional day as funds were raised for Teddy Bears Anonymous, but as the Humboldt Broncos tragedy was also fresh in people鈥檚 minds.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Arts performed, 鈥淪omewhere over the Rainbow,鈥� in their honour after speaking from her heart about the tragedy on everyone鈥檚 minds: 鈥淭here鈥檚 a heaviness in this room and across Saskatchewan right now. People are going through tough times and I鈥檇 like to play a song for everybody affected by the bus accident. It鈥檚 so hard to see everyone going through that. Small towns come together and we will cherish their memory and are there for all those that are hurting.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淜ids travel constantly on buses, it made me think of my brother and of all the kids that travelled for sports through high school, it鈥檚 something that really hits home and has touched everyone.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The rest of the concert, which was sold out nearly as soon as it was announced, focused on Arts鈥� original music and a few covers she thought the crowd would enjoy 鈥� including a few she relearned backstage including LeAnn Rhymes鈥� 鈥淏lue.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎ll four of my grandparents are here today,鈥� she explained 鈥� looking lovingly into the crowd and wanting to perform a song for them. 鈥淭his is one of the first songs that I taught myself at eight-years-old. I just kept playing the cassette over and over to learn it and to try to figure out how LeAnn Rhymes did that little flip with her voice.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Arts has been working hard to make her dreams a reality and is currently nominated for five Saskatchewan Country Music Association Awards: Album of the Year (Rebel Child), Female Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Interactive Artist of the Year, and Video of the Year (Cold Feet).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Additionally, her music video for Cold Feet hit #1 on the CMT Music 12 Pack; a viewer voted program.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hank you all who voted,鈥� she said gratefully. 鈥淚t means a lot to me. It鈥檚 also the only song I didn鈥檛 write on the album. People always ask me if I wish I had, but I thought it was cool that I got to hear it for the first time 鈥� like you all did 鈥� all the way through. It was like a Nicholas Sparks book in a song.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Additionally, one of her songs was featured on The Bachelor, which has garnered attention for her music.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he opportunity to be on鈥︹�� Arts laughed. 鈥淚 have to be careful how I word that. The opportunity to perform on The Bachelor 鈥� be on The Bachelor is different 鈥� came up and I went through my songs that I had just released on Rebel Child, but none were perfect, so I found a song I had written about a year before for the show and I ended up performing during a one-on-one date for Arie and Chelsea.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Arts reminisced a little bit about her life and thanked everyone for coming out to support the fundraising brunch and enjoy the performance.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to be able to come back here and perform songs that I wrote in Nashville. Lots of what I write are about experiences here, so it鈥檚 special to be able to come back and perform them.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎 huge thank you to the Happy Nun Caf茅 for having me. I remember coming to Forget years ago for a festival here. It was incredible. I remember walking around looking at all the cool places, so thank you for having me back.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 During the concert, Arts smiled and laughed in between songs, 鈥淵ou guys are so quiet.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 But, the crowd, despite knowing the lyrics to many of the songs and being able to sing along had chosen to simply be enthralled by Arts鈥� beautiful voice accompanied only by her guitar.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Following the performance, Gayla thanked everyone for coming out to support the Teddy Bears Anonymous fundraiser brunch, which saw all coffee sales and the silent auction going towards funds raised for the day.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hank you everyone for attending the Tenille Arts Brunch in support of Teddy Bears Anonymous!鈥� Gayla wrote on The Happy Nun Caf茅鈥檚 Facebook page. 鈥淲ith special thanks to our co-sponsors: Stoughton Meat Market and Family Foods, ABSees Studio, Kings Department Store, Cheryl MacDougall Lake, New Hope Pharmacy and Michael鈥檚 Coffee Shop and Bakery we were able to raise over $425 for Teddy Bears Anonymous鈥� that鈥檚 over 100 bears for children at a scary time in their lives! You all rock!鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Teddy Bears Anonymous is a registered charity in Canada whose mission is 鈥渢o provide a sick child in hospital a teddy bear.鈥� An effort to help ease children who need to spend extended time in the hospital or to have surgery at a hospital.
