The arts community is rallying together to support a North Okanagan guitar maker whose workshop succumbed to a fire last month.
A fundraiser is taking place Saturday at Caravan Farm Theatre to help Trevor Kronbauer recoup from his losses.
On Aug. 11, flames roared through Kronbauer’s guitar shop on Patterson Avenue in Armstrong, destroying his guitar stock along with the specialty woods and tools he uses in his trade.
The shop was not insured at the time.
“It means I have to start from the bottom up again,” Kronbauer told The Morning Star. “I will start again. It’s what I do.”
Born and raised in Vernon, Kronbauer has been making guitars since 2001. He learned the trade from veteran luthier Ted Thompson of Coldstream, and later started his own business.
Kronbauer Guitars can be found in the hands of both local and national musicians.
Members of the local arts community are hosting the family-friendly charity event to help Kronbauer.
“We have an amazing lineup of musicians, local beer and wine and lots of people behind the cause,” said Vernon musician and real estate agent Jayme McKillop, one of the sponsors of the event. “We are asking local businesses to please consider donating silent auction items, gift certificates, a monetary donation or your time to help raise funds for a great cause and get Trevor building guitars once more.”
Donations and silent auction items can be dropped off Thursday at The Wild Oak Café, 2539 Pleasant Valley Blvd., Armstrong, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., or they can picked up at the donator’s convenience Thursday between the hours of 1 and 5 p.m. by Kronbauer himself. Contact helptrev@gmail.com for any donations or kronbauerbenefit@gmail.com to volunteer.
A Go Fund me account has also been set up for Kronbauer at www.gofundme.com/2je6mqx8.
Saturday’s fundraiser at Caravan Farm Theatre on Salmon River Road, northwest of Armstrong, takes place from 5 to 10 p.m. Live music will be performed by Chipko Jones, The Noble Crew, the Dan Engelland Band and others.
Tickets are $20/adult (includes a smokie and a beer), $5/child (includes a smokie), with children five and under free, available at eventbrite.ca.
