Music and laughter echoed through the halls of the Men’s Shelter on a warm Wednesday afternoon at 400 King St. For this week’s community group, Harm Reduction Worker Michelle and the group members were holding a talent show.
“I wanted to show them that every one of them has a talent, even when they don’t think they do,” Michelle said.
Through music, poetry, art, and spoken word, members of the group shared their stories with the other residents of the shelter.
“It brings people together,” Michelle continued. “We’re heading into the seasons where it’s a bit more lonely and sad, so it’s good to remind people that we’re in this together and celebrate the talents among us.”
Sam
Daniel
Michelle
The group welcomed a special appearance by Sam Lahie, a local musician who goes to area shelters and community hubs, sharing his message of hope through original songs like “Never Alone”.
“I’ve been in bands before where the messages of the music hasn’t been great,” Sam said. “Now I want to be a lot more positive and show people that life gets better.”
The Golden G.O.A.T. Award for best performance went to Daniel, who shared his artistic talent and the story of his life for the first time. He shared some words of encouragement with the group as well.
“We’re all talented people, but everyone’s talent is a little bit different. I see mechanics, engineers, comedians, artists, musicians, dancers, and actors here. We’ve all been put in difficult situations, but if we team up, work together, and lift each other up, we’ll make it through whatever life throws at us.”
