Lions’ Simcoe Night Live delivers
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Chris Abbott
Editor
Music, laughter and a sense of community.
It’s what makes the Simcoe Lions Club’s Cabaret Night and Variety Show one of the longest running shows in town.
Friday night’s 72nd annual Cabaret at Simcoe Composite School, which included a catered meal, sold out.
“We could have squeezed more tables in at the back, but it would have been difficult for them to see us,” said Terry Sheppard, Simcoe Lions Show promotion chair and a singer in the 40-member Lion chorus. “It was a comfortable amount that we had.
“It was a good crowd Saturday, the crowd was really into it,” added Sheppard, noting the Lions were also pleased with the Variety Show audience. “Usually our group is a little more relaxed (Saturday) and we’re ‘into it’ as well. We kind of feed off the audience.
“It went well. We had good fun doing it and enjoy it. It’s an awful lot of work, but it brings in some money for the community.”
Typically, the Cabaret Night and Variety Show raises about $20,000-$25,000, which is used for local Lions causes. This year they are focusing on ‘Reimagine Wellington Park,’ which aims to ‘revitalize and enhance one of Simcoe’s treasured public spaces.’
“With all Lions, the young volunteers, the Lady Lions, the ushers, sound, lighting, we probably had close to 90 people involved in the show.”
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Both Simcoe Night Live shows opened with a comedic SNL monologue by Travis Lloyd, followed by the chorus singing Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting (featuring Barry LaPlante) and Uptown Funk (featuring Jayne Staples).
The Lions ‘Comedy Club’ presented two skits, and they would alternate with the chorus for the rest of the show, doing 18 sketches in total, with participants of all ages (up to 91 & 92).
Chorus songs included Save a Horse (featuring Dennis McArthur and Pat deRuiter), Gangsta (John McCarthy), Gambler (featuring 91-year-old Don Daley), Going Going Gone (Ian Malo), Tom Petty’s I Won’t Back Down (Sheppard), Most People Are Good (Ron Francis), I Like It, I Love It (Peter Penman), Sharp Dressed Men (LaPlante and Dave Lorimer), I Want It That Way (Jim Adams Jr, Tracy Cochrane, Bill Easdown, Rob Francis), Beer For My Horses (Sheppard and Ron Francis), I’m On A Boat (Gord Malo, Ian Malo, Penman), Mr. Jones (Scott Peck), Respect (Sharla Hawkins and the Show Band – Brian Craig, George Parkinson, Brent Wice and Adam Reid), Before He Cheats (Staples), Blow At Hight Dough (Gord Malo) and It’s My Life (Penman).
“He (Daley) will keep going as long as he can,” Sheppard smiled.
The showstopper was an emotional ‘In the End,’ requested by longtime Simcoe Lions member Rick Van Damme (1959-2026).
“He requested that song himself, he wanted that song sung,” said Sheppard. “We were all close to him, but Ronnie Francis, front row, was the closest to him and he said he couldn’t get through the song.”
The show went into the intermission with many wet eyes in the audience.
SIMCOE LIONS
The Simcoe Lions Club was founded in March 1931, and celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2021.
“We have so many different committees, like the community service committee, and we donate to causes like the music festival that is coming up, different youth events and teams,” said Sheppard. “It’s always nice, when we donate something, that we get to present a cheque to these groups and we get to meet some of the people involved in these groups.”
Not only do members of the Simcoe Lions service club volunteer at various events, there are people who volunteer to help the Lions.
“Some people can’t commit to being a full Lion, but they come out to help us in our food trailer and different events,” said Sheppard, noting the Lions will be contributing to a Simcoe Downtown BIA Chicken BBQ coming up soon.
The Simcoe Lions Club, one of two Lions clubs in town, meets from September to June, every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month at 6:45 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion, Simcoe. If you are interested in joining, there is a contact form on their website (simcoelions.com).
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