Local music has a way of bringing communities together, and few know that better than Selkirk’s Edward Chrapchynski.
At 74, he’s not just strumming the guitar or pulling on fiddle strings; he’s orchestrating change for his community.
With the windows leaking, the floors torn up, the bathrooms outdated, and the kitchen cabinets falling apart, something had to be done to save the Holy Eucharist Parish Hall.
Chrapchynski was president of the board for the hall at the time, and feared if repairs weren’t made, the halls lively spirit would be silenced forever.
In 2011, Chrapchynski started doing monthly shows playing old time music for seniors with his band – It’s Group Four– to raise money to renovate the hall.
After playing shows for three years, the band raised $8,500, and helped the Holy Eucharist Parish Hall with the purchase of 200 chairs, 35 tables, new flooring, windows, and renovations to the kitchen and bathrooms.
What started as monthly shows for seniors has blossomed and continued into a decade-long endeavor, raising over $14,000 for various organizations.
Chrapchynski and his It’s Group Four band are currently planning their next fundraiser from 1- 5 p.m. on April 23 at the Matlock Hall. The afternoon will include live music and lunch and a 50/50 draw. This is his first fundraiser since COVID-19 shut him down.
“I’m starting all over again with zero dollars. My wife and I are putting out $2,000 to get this thing started” said Chrapchynski.
He said costs include $50 an hour for renting the hall, $175 for the damage deposit, and $150 for cleaning.
He says he relies on the seniors, who pay $20 per person, at the door, to attend with hopes to make his money back and a little for a community organization in need.
This year, Chrapchynski hopes to secure a monetary donation from the government, and plans to invite a Member of Parliament from each party to attend the event.
The donation would allow Chrapchynski to save his personal money and put it towards the next show in May.
Even without the donation, Chrapchynski says he’s confident he’ll make his money back.
“We’re excited to get there and get started, I already have about 80 people that are interested in coming and it’s still over a month away,” said Chrapchynski.
Once he had finished raising money for the Holy Eucharist Parish Hall in 2014, Chrapchynski moved his next show to the Gordon Howard Senior Centre.
He continued playing monthly with his band and this time – one hundred per cent of the money went back to the Gordon Howard Senior Centre.
“The seniors are the number one priority,” said Chrapchynski.
If there is extra money from a previous show, he won’t charge the seniors for the next show, instead he uses the money from his profits instead.
In 2016, Chrapchynski decided to move again to Clandeboye Community Hall, which had better hard wood floors for dancing.
At Clandeboye Community Hall, Chrapchynski and his band raised $3,500 with $500 each given to HSC Winnipeg Children’s Hospital, and Pellaatt United Firefighters in Ont.
The rest of the money was given back to Clandeboye Community Hall.
“It makes me feel like I’m doing something to give back in my life…growing up there was always someone older than me to help me out,” said Chrapchynski.
Chrapchynski has been playing the fiddle and guitar for over 60 years.
He said his father’s side of the family was very musical and made fiddles, so naturally he took up the instrument at a young age.
He is entirely self-taught and would learn to play and sing songs by ear.
“I copied down the words and pretended I was Hank Williams” said Chrapchynski with a laugh.
Chrapchynski’s band, It’s Group Four, formed in 1974 and has been performing ever since.
Members have varied throughout the years, but the line up on April 23 will include John Lewitski (accordian) Wayne Wasney (guitar) Brian Houle (drums) and Chrapchynski singing and playing the fiddle.
The band has three shows upcoming for April, May, and June, before taking a break for the summer, with hopes of starting up again in September.
