Friends of the Earth would not be able to accomplish what we have without our dedicated volunteers, working to help us stand on guard for Mother Nature.

Take a look at the Sudbury Earthdancers, who have chosen Friends of the Earth Canada as a beneficiary to their annual performances for the past nineteen years!

The Earthdancers are a Sudbury-based, youth-directed contemporary/modern dance company. Their dream is to make a difference in the environmental world. Each year, they promote environmental awareness in their community and raise funds for local, national and international environmental causes through benefit dance performances.

 Earthdancers is a student run company that has been dedicated to putting on a performance of modern dance annually since 1989. While many people attend their performances, few realize what else Earthdancers have done. In 2002, Earthdancers was honoured to turn soil alongside Dr. Jane Goodall at the “Jane Goodall Reclamation Trail” in Coniston. Their name can be found on the trail along with INCO Ltd. and Falconbridge Ltd. They have also planted 1 075 evergreen saplings for the Land Reclamation Program. In 2005, earthdancers took part in the TD Canada Trust Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, removing litter and recyclables from a section of Junction Creek.

Since 2005, Earthdancers has performed for the Tsunami Rx Benefit, the Heart and Wellness initiative, the EarthCare Sudbury Youth Environmental Gala, the Sudbury Earth Day Festival, the Northern Lights Festival Boréal, the Sudbury District Health Unit, the Sudbury Dance Festival, the Nickel District Conservation Authority, and with L’Arche Sudbury. Earthdancers has also received an Ontera Youth Achievement Award, the City of Greater Sudbury’s Civic Award for Volunteerism, and the 2011 Champions for Children Award.

Presently, Earthdancers is proud to be the first sponsor of the local extension of the TransCanada Trail, donating over $2 400 to the creation of the Elgin Greenway. This year, the full purchase price of tickets to their annual benefit was donated to Friends of the Earth Canada, Sudbury’s Vegetation Enhancement Technical Advisory Committee (VETAC), and the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee.

 

 

We are pleased to be one of their charities of choice!

“There is no question – Sudbury’s earthdancers are close to my heart” remarks Friends of the Earth CEO Beatrice Olivastri. “Each year I make the trip from Ottawa to Sudbury to host the final of four performances by the Earthdancers. This is year twenty-four for the contemporary and modern dance company’s benefit performances. Each year, I am moved anew by their passion and artistry and impressed by the family and community support that makes it possible to deliver these wonderful performances.”

“Funds raised by the Earthdancers this year – almost $6,000 from proceeds of the performances – were shared among three environmental groups – my organization, Friends of the Earth Canada, Sudbury’s Regreening Committee, VETAC and the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee. Over their twenty four years, Earthdancers have raised more than $120,000 dollars for their choice of environmental causes – an amazing accomplishment for them and for Sudbury. So, bravo Earthdancers and a big thank you to the Sudbury School of Dance and Earthdancers’ production team 2015, Julie Brousseau, Emma Duncan, Sara Machum, Noah Blatt, Megan McClure and Hannah Pilon.”