The Sky Family Celtic Revival has been touring central Alberta lately. They put on performances in Red Deer and Clive before coming to Bentley and Rimbey, then moving on to British Columbia.
Oct. 25 saw two shows in Bentley at the Blindman Valley Ag Centre. High-energy fiddle music with accompaniment, along with singing and dance highlighted the show, with gospel and scripture thrown in.
The group had been invited to Bentley by the Senior Prayer Group.
A special 90-minute show at 1:30 p.m. in Bentley was well attended according to organizers Treva and Warren Felzien who have become friends with the Skys.
Different senior homes had been contacted and invited and it paid off. There were residents and care attendants present from the Bentley Care Centre, Heartland Manor north of Lacombe, the Eckville Manor, Rimbey Continuing Care, the Eckville Manor, Sylvan Bethany, Nannies for Grannies, Parkview Manor in Lacombe and the Lacombe Senior Lodge. Many were loaded and unloaded from handi-vans that were lined up in the parking lot despite threatening snowy weather. Some Sylvan Lake seniors and other people braved the threatening weather on their own.
Attendance at the two-hour long 7 p.m. show was disappointing with organizers not sure why it was poorly attended.
Help putting away chairs by some Bentley young people and the team members was much appreciated.
The cost of the rent of the building was covered by private donation with the entire goodwill offering going to the performers. It was the second visit for the Sky family to Bentley.
It was stated that the Oct. 26 evening performance in Rimbey at the Nazarene Church was well attended with the Oct. 27 morning service and potluck not quite as well attended.
The Sky Family say they get joy from just spreading God’s word and sharing it with others. They have a website that tells of their ministry and Bible school.
The team members are father Tom, sons Seth, Joel and Gabe, and daughter Miriam. All are talented musicians who play a number of instruments each, and the grown children do River Dance style dance as well. They bring along their own equipment including multiple lighting and audio set ups. Two young spouses and two others were travelling with them.