Everybody loves a relaxing Sunday afternoon in a park, and the good folks of Wawota are no exception. It was a glorious day on Aug. 21, with the sun shining warmly in the blue sky, and a gentle breeze adding a hint of cooling to the faces of the people present at Memorial Centennial Park. Mostly they were families, young parents with young children. But there were older folks too, lined up in lawn chairs in the shade of the trees. There was an air of anticipation, and all eyes were on the pagoda in the southwest corner. Everyone was there to enjoy a performance by a truly world-class act, an act that goes by the name of "Lulu and the Tomcat."
"Lulu and the Tomcat" are Lori Lulu and Thomas Neufeld, a multi-talented married couple from Roland, Manitoba. Lori is an Early Years French Immersion teacher, and Tom is a former public school librarian. With this background, and their interest in music, it was almost inevitable that they'd look for a way to combine music with the teaching of reading, so with an inspiring shot of imagination, "Lulu and the Tomcat" was born.
Their achievements and accolades are certainly impressive. They have played at the Winnipeg International Children's Festival three times and at the Winnipeg Folk Festival twice. One of their songs was considered among the best at a John Lennon song writing contest, and they represented Canada at the Canadian Pavilion at World Expo 2005 in Japan. They have played in communities across Canada, performed on Canada Day at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, and have entertained audiences in Cuba.
The have also written, recorded and produced six children's musical CDs, with titles like "Lullaby Lulu", "All the Cats Were Playin" and "Faites De La Musique." And that last title also hints at part of their appeal. They are just as happy performing in French as they are in English. There are also books published as companions to their CDs.
As they started their show in the park, young children were already crowding the grass in front of the pagoda, and more quickly joined them to get a closer look at the couple. Right from the get-go, it was obvious that Lulu has the ability to capture and hold the attention of youngsters. She played a flute and started walking round the park, and quickly the kids lined up behind her, joyfully following this feline-costumed, real-life pied piper.
Then a series of songs followed, with interactive acts in both English and French. There were run-throughs of the alphabet not only forwards but backwards too, and in both languages. The children were enthralled, following instructions to stand, or sit, or dance as the songs demanded. There were animal figures too; a large caterpillar, an ant, and even something looking remarkably like the Loch Ness Monster. It was a high-energy, child-friendly, interactive show that was a pleasure to watch, and a joy to experience.
The show was sponsored by Wawota Recreation Board, Sasktel, and Wawota Public Library. In fact, the material was specifically written with the summer reading program of the library in mind. "The library was studying water" Neufeld said, "So we came up with the theme of this show to coincide with that." Indeed, the show was called "Splish, splash, spling - come read and sing!"
The Wawota librarian, Sylvia Jewkes, was busy taking pictures of the event, to add to a poster that will be displayed in the library. Staying in the background was another key figure, Monique Meyers, an incredibly-imaginative French teacher herself, who was instrumental in bringing the act to Wawota. And close by the entrance to the park, a table was being prepared with a large cake and delicious ice cream from Wawota's own "Mrs P's Ice Cream shop."
At the end of the performance, Monique Meyers stood up at the pagoda and thanked the Neufeld's for a wonderful show. Everyone had enjoyed the performance, a highlight among a variety of musical events that are still ongoing in the summer schedule at Memorial Centennial Park.
With the music over, the focus quickly became the refreshments. Moms rounded up their children and lined up to enjoy the goodies, as cake and ice cream provided a very welcome treat on such a hot day. After a moment, Tom Neufeld came over and joined the line, chatting away with people and later remarking how delicious the ice cream was.
It is events like this that truly build memories. Good, wholesome memories of families spending a summer day together in the park, of fun songs and funny animal figures, of sunshine and ice cream and cake. The community will remember it too, as the fusion of great entertainment, superb education, and the evidence that Wawota never fails in the enhancement of community spirit.
