The Music at the Lakes events at Interlakes, which officially begin July 1, got an early start with a fun, family-friendly dinner-dance fundraiser on June 17.
The Interlakes Economic Association (IEA) partnered with the Interlakes Community Association/Roe Lake & District Recreation Commission to host their second annual Dinner, Dance and Silent Auction event to raise funds for community events.
“As far as we can tell, it was a great success.” says Shelly Durand, IEA Arts and Culture Committee chair.
The roast beef dinner with all the trimmings went over well with families, and so did the live music and dancing that went on all evening and had children out dancing together, and with their parents, she adds.
“A lady said [later] it was like the old-fashioned barn dances, in that the kids were welcome and … families felt comfortable in that 
situation.
“We had fantastic donations to the silent auction, from all over the place – not just 100 Mile House, we had support from other areas 
as well.”
Durand says golfing, danger tree topping, loads of gravel and other big items also boosted its silent auction, which totalled more than 100 items up for the highest bidders.
A spa in Jesmond had donated an $850 package including a room, gift cards including several different restaurants in Kamloops, and both a hotel and a bridal store in Williams Lake were among the other great contributions that helped raise some significant money, 
she explains.
The arts and culture chair notes for the IEA, this dinner-auction helps fund their free Music At The Lakes program of events, for family-fun evenings its members will once again host all summer long at the Interlakes Service Centre.
The local association/commission (the other event beneficiary) operates the Interlakes Community Hall, so typically uses its portion of the funds towards providing this service to the community, Durand says, adding its members also cooked the roast beef and pork dinner.
“It was a real, joint effort between the two associations – and the food was 
fantastic.”
Durand says the Music at the Lakes concerts begin on Canada Day, July 1, with the first band on stage at the Interlakes Service Centre being the Yale County Jug Band which is a washboard and jug band she anticipates as promising “an interesting way to kick off the 
summer.”
The IEA also has other free events going on earlier on Canada Day over at the community hall, so for more information, visit www.ieabc.ca/events.html or find them on 
Facebook.
The free Music at the Lakes then runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m. every Saturday through the summer on stage at the Interlakes Service Centre on Highway 24. Durand notes the next event slated to play (following this one) will be an 18-piece brass band, on 
July 8.
She explains both of these bands are coming in from Kamloops to offer a rare and special chance to hear these music genres in this local, rural setting.
