This June 21, don’t be too surprised if you hear hooting and hollering from the Huntsville fairgrounds. That’s when the second annual Family Traditions HOOT (Help Out Our Town) will be getting underway.
    Last year’s inaugural event proved to be well worth the efforts of the volunteers, who worked together to make the first Family Traditions HOOT a smooth success. It was also an unforgettable experience for those who attended.
    Tina Turley – a musician many across Muskoka will recognize from her power vocals and mesmerizing guitar work displayed at various charity gigs – founded and organized the Family Traditions HOOT. She spent months recruiting area bands, rounding up volunteers and organizing fun activities to ensure that people of all ages would have a fun time — all the while raising money for a great cause.
    Turley is quick to point out that organizing such a large-scale event might not have been possible without the help of one of her closest friends, Karen Woods (a.k.a. Crayon).
    “When I first mentioned it to her, she was a tremendous help,” said Turley. “She helped organize (the HOOT) and was willing to lend a hand for whatever I needed.”
    More than 300 people visited the fairgrounds over the course of the daylong event last year, and none were disappointed. Those who attended got the chance to bid on items in a silent auction, took part in a sucker raffle, participated in a horseshoe tournament and even took a shot at dunking someone in the dunk tank.
    “All items (for the auction) are donated from various business and people in the area so there is always something for everyone,” says Turley.
    A truly family-friendly event, the members of the Huntsville Community Policing committee were on hand last year with Kidz Prints, and Turley is hoping that they will be back again this year. Kidz Prints is the most recognized child identifi cation kit around, and is made available to parents and caregivers free of charge. The kits can be valuable to law enforcement if a child has gone missing, offering fi ngerprints and other personal information during a critical time.
    A playground area for kids was also set up and games of volleyball proved to be highly popular among HOOT attendees.
    But what most HOOT-goers will tell you about — will rave about, actually — is the music.
    The non-stop tunes covered all types of musical genres, from rock to country to bluegrass. This event is a must for any music lover. Bands like Scotia Junction and HoneyGrass and performers including Country Bob, Bill Stewart and Turley herself provided easy-listening tunes throughout the day. This year’s HOOT is shaping up to be just as toe-tapping.
    “There’s a lot of people who have approached us since (last year’s HOOT) saying they really enjoyed it and that they’ve told their friends,” said Turley. “The music is great, from bluegrass to country to rock. . . . There are different genres of music and the musicians are all are very talented. I have been approached by other musicians who want to take part this year as well, but people should attend because it is an important cause.”
    And that’s one of the best things about the Family Tradition HOOT: you get to come out to spend a day listening to great tunes all in the name of charity. All proceeds raised at the event are directed to the Family, Youth and Child Services’ Camp Fund. The fund uses the money to send children to camp, children whose families don’t have the financial means to do so.
    With goodwill donations as the admission, last year over $2,000 was raised for Family, Youth and Child Services. And this year, Turley has higher hopes for an even better turnout.
    Why did Turley decided to hold a day-long fun-fi lled event for the whole family? “I like to support local charities,” she said. “I’ve done a lot of charity work in my career. This is what we decided to do. It’s something fresh.”
    Over the years Turley has been asked by many charities to take part in their events and has devoted her time to participating in fundraisers for the Huntsville Animal Shelter, the local chapter of the Canadian Cancer Society, the annual MS walk at Zellers, for the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital and countless others. She has also contributed to taking part in fundraisers for people who find themselves in need because of a personal life crisis such as an illness, accident or house fire.
    Turley wanted to do “something fresh” in the community, a mindset that likely stems from the fact her father, Ed, who passed away in 2002, organized the first-ever Harvest Jam, which Turley took over and co-ordinated for 11 years. Raising funds for the Salvation Army’s Christmas toy and food drive, the highly successful event featured an evening of music with a variety of bands and took place at the same bar every year up until 2003.
    What drives her to spend countless hours organizing the Family Tradition HOOT? “The fact that there’s a lot of great musicians and not a lot of venues in the area for them to play at,” says Turley. “And for selfi sh reasons, as well as trying to help the community.”
    For admission information call Tina Turley at 789-5353 or e-mail christina. turley@sympatico.ca. Families are encouraged to attend. Bring lawnchairs or blankets to sit on, and get ready to settle in for a hootin’ good time.