Brothers Dube lend their voices to help Merrickville emergency food cupboard

Posted Jan 26, 2012 By Stacey Roy

EMC Events - Liam, Jan and Quinn Dube are brothers with a message that food banks need support all year long. When they're not in school the boys play in a band known as Brothers Dube, and will be in Merrickville Jan. 27 to host a fundraising concert at the Baldachin Inn Pub.

All proceeds from the concert will support the Emergency Food Cupboard at the Merrickville Community Health Centre. The brothers were introduced to the spirit of the village this past Christmas when they pulled in for the first CP Holiday Train event in Merrickville.

"The crowd was so much fun, and there were lots of young people, and that really makes a difference for us. We left Merrickville way more charged than when we got there," Jan wrote in an email interview.

This experience left a positive impression on the boys who immediately thought of the small village when talking about their desire to give back to food banks.

"...It's a way for us to help locally, I guess it's our way of being part of that community," Jan noted.

Tickets are now available for $5 at Mrs. McGarrigle's or the Village Bean in Merrickville or online at http://brothersdubejan272012.eventbrite.com/. Tickets can also be picked up at the door for $10. The event will run from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The cost of feeding a family is only increasing in the region, according to statistics from the Leeds Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit who conducted a price of eating well survey in 2009. These survey found that a family of four must spend about $740 a month, while a single parent could spent approximately $488 a month to feed themselves and two youths. This coupled with other fixed living costs resulted in a very clear outcome for those families living with low income.

"While the provincial and federal governments make adjustments to minimum wage and various benefits and credits, low-income families still do not have enough income to meet their financial responsibilities," the 2009 survey states.

This reality is something Brothers Dube wants to bring out into the open while providing what help they can. As part of their giving back the group invites anyone unable to attend the show for monetary reasons to contact them at brothersdube@gmail.com to see if they can help remove that barrier.

BROTHERS DUBE

Since around 2008 the family band has been using their talents to help others. They have raised funds for an orphanage in Haiti and many other good causes. The boys got their start in music by posting their cover of their mother's favourite songs on YouTube. While battling cancer, their mother was comforted by her sons' beautiful harmonies and since her death in 2008 countless other individuals have shared in this joy and comfort.

Currently, the band is challenging themselves in the field of song writing. Their single 'I Kinda Like It' is scheduled to come out shortly and there are plans for a video to be made as well.

Be sure to stop by Jan. 27 to the Baldachin Inn Pub and support your neighbours.

sroy@perfprint.ca