Westman Jams is a group of fun-loving, music-loving Manitobans who love to raise money for young people to attend the International Music Camp through their gift of song!

The group raises money for the Reg Jones Memorial Scholarship Fund which financially assists Westman students to attend the International Music Camp at the Peace Gardens each summer.

Group President, Midge Stace, says they have great fun whenever they get together, whether that be the second Sunday of every month, or the last Sunday of every month from September to the end of June.  Some members have been participating for 20 years, and some members simply come and go in their own seasons of being able to participate.  Folks hail from communities across Manitoba, and even into the States, including Swan River, McCreary, Holland, Miami, Portage and Bottineau, North Dakota.

The Crow's Jam Fundraiser typically took place at Crow's General Store in Brandon every July.  However, this year they've bumped it up to June 16th to better accommodate summer travels by their members.

The combination of great entertainment and the old-fashioned setting of Crow's General Store tucked between the Assiniboine River and the woods makes for a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

"We anticipate we could have up to 25 musicians," shares Stace. "It's just a fun-filled afternoon and it is of course to raise money to send youth in the Westman area to the International Music Camp near Boissevain."

Westman Jams would typically meet at the Douglas Hall the last Sunday of every month, but they've now outgrown that facility and so will be moving to the Fringe Restaurant and Lounge at the Base at CFB Shilo.  "It's a huge venue and they've got an excellent restaurant!  So, we not only entertain, but we also have companionship and invite the spectators to join us for a meal after.  It's just a fun-filled way of finishing off our afternoon."

On the second Sunday of every month, they meet at the Eastside Eatery in Brandon.  "There again we do our jam, it's a bit of a smaller venue, but they have a great restaurant with good food, and they have a hall there and neither place charges us rent so we are really able to accumulate a nice amount of money to donate to the International Music Camp."

This past February the music group donated $4,000 to the Music Camp that facilitates young people from around the world to receive specialized musical instruction at the International Peace Garden. The donated money goes towards sponsoring young people from the Westman Region to attend camp at that facility.

Donations are welcomed throughout the year and at every event.  Stace says they're well on their way to matching last year's donation and hope to surpass that amount this year.  "It's such an exciting time!"

Please listen to Midge Stace below as she shares more on Westman Jams!

Mitchell Makoons is an up-and-coming musician who has been sponsored through the Westman Jams initiative! Last summer Mitchell Makoons was a returning guest on CJRB's Made in Manitoba!  Click HERE to learn more!

Visit the Westman Jams Facebook page HERE!

Westman Jams at Crow's General Store takes place Sunday, June 16th.

The noontime Barbecue will start at 11:30 am with performers taking the stage from 1-4 pm.