October 2014 – Gord Bamford Foundation

News Release

For Immediate Release
October 20, 2014

Gord Bamford, JEDCO, Team Up to Support Central Alberta Charity
Donates $6,200 towards McMan Central

(Red Deer, AB) JEDCO Energy Services and the Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation are teaming up to support Alberta’s McMan Central.

The Canadian Country Music Star and Duane Sokalski, Vice President & GM, JEDCO Energy Services, are presenting $6,200 to McMan Central on, October 20, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. at McMan’s offices, located at 103, 5214 47 Avenue in the Park Plaza office building, north of the downtown Co-Op in Red Deer, Alberta.

Bamford has supported several central Alberta charities in the past, and Bamford believes through his Foundation, he can affect positive change to others to live their lives in a positive, productive manner.

“The Seven Challenges® programprovides a framework for helping youth think through their own decisions about their lives,” says Bamford. “Through the Gord Bamford Foundation, we at JEDCO Energy Services are proud to support the work of McMan Central in offering the Seven Challenges® Drug Counselling program,” says Sokalski.

“McMan Central is honoured to accept this donation from Jedco Energy through the Bamford Foundation,” says Christine Stewart, McMan Central Programs Manager. “These monies will assist us in providing substance abuse counseling services to young people 13-24 years of age who can’t afford long-term private therapy. McMan is extremely grateful to Duane and Gord for their support on this important issue. With their help, we are able to continue to bring to light the impact of drugs and alcohol on young people, as well as help the community to see the huge benefits in addressing these issues at the earliest point possible.”

Stewart says the Seven Challenges® Program is fundamentally different from mainstream approaches that engage in what is often called the “mad rush for abstinence.” “With The Seven Challenges® Program we start where youth are “at,” not where we wish they might be and not where they might pretend to be (ready and willing to make honest decisions to change with regard to drugs — and prepared for success in such changes),” she says.

Bamford is a 19-time Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) award winner, a three-time Juno Award nominee, and most recently, winner of the prestigious Global Artist of the Year, presented by Nashville’s Country Music Association. His winning streak continued at the 2014 awards back in September, with Bamford being honoured with the CCMA’s Single of the Year [for the #1 song, When Your Lips Are So Close], Male Artist of the Year, and Country Music Special or Program of the Year for Gord Bamford Christmas in Canada.

McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association is embarking on a new pathway in the hope of continuing service to youth and families. With knowing there are very little services in Alberta for teens who truly want to rid their lives of addiction, it is the hope of McMan is to provide a residential stay program (affliliated with the renowned Seven Challenges program) for up to six months of addiction counselling and treatment.

Since 2008 Bamford’s Charitable Foundation has generated over $2 million dollars, and the country artist has made making donations to children’s hospitals a priority. Bamford recently had a record-breaking fundraising night in August, 2014, generating $503,000 at the 7^th Annual Gord Bamford Charity Golf Classic.

More about Bamford can be found at www.gordbamford.comand at www.gordbamfordfoundation.com.

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Contact:
Corinne Szepesi, Manager
Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation
office: 403-786-9175

For Immediate Release
October 17, 2014

Gord Bamford Supports Music Therapy at Alberta Children’s Hospital
Gives $10,000 to Program, 2nd Year in a Row

(Calgary, AB) Savannah Hunik has a genetic disorder that affects her joints and makes walking painful; but making music with her music therapy specialists at the Alberta Children’s Hospital (ACH) is a fun way to pass the time as she undergoes her lengthy treatments.

Canadian country music superstar Gord Bamford believes in the healing power of music therapy, and through his Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation, the artist gave $10,000 to the ACH’s music therapy program today.

“I know how music is able to take a child’s attention away from the pain they are experiencing,” says Bamford. “From the visits I have had at children’s hospitals all across Canada, it never ceases to amaze me how singing a simple song or playing a guitar melody is able to change their mood. Music is a powerful tool in the process of healing.”

“I love to sing,” Hunik says. “For me, music is something that lifts me up and it’s just amazing how it really, really helps me during my long visits to the hospital. A lot of kids can benefit from having those things they love to do — music and singing— it makes it so much better, so much easier.”

Marc Houde, Music Therapist in the Music Therapy Program at the Alberta Children’s Hospital says music therapy is known to reduce anxiety and stress related to hospitalization and provides patients and their families a creative means to express their feelings and uplift their moods. This is done through playing instruments, composing songs or simply listening to music chosen specifically for the patient.

“Children often don’t have words to express their grief or frustrations and music is a way for them to give voice to those emotions,” says Houde. “The power of music therapy is that it can change how people feel in an instant. It gives patients the strength and courage to fight. Music, during the toughest times, enables us to feel empowered and supported.”

Justine Clay, Communications Director for the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation says they are extremely grateful to the Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation for their continued support of the music therapy program. “This program would not be possible without donor support and we are proud that well-known artists such as Gord Bamford recognize the power that music has in our society, including helping those who are most in need,” she says.

The Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation (www.childrenshospital.ab.ca) raises funds for excellence in child health, research and family centered care. As the official fundraising body for the Alberta Children’s Hospital, all money raised by the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation is re-invested in the hospital and child health needs in this region.

ACH Donation 2014
(L-R), Joanna Tong, Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, Gord Bamford, music therapist Marc Houde and Alberta Children’s Hospital intern Jessica Ko.

Contact:
Corinne Szepesi, Manager
Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation
office: 403-786-9175