RONNIE HAWKINS lands key to the city.

Hawkins' lands key to the city

Date: 2008-04-08
By Todd Vandonk
More Photos


Email Story

Font Size





A hero, mentor, teacher, close friend; the house wife's companion; the man who danced like Elvis Presley did, moonwalked before Michael Jackson and will always be the King of Rockabilly; Mr. Ronnie Hawkins now officially owns a golden key to the City of Peterborough.
More than 150 guests gathered for great music, food and drink at the Evinrude Centre Saturday (April 5) for the seventh Mayor's Dinner and Homegrown Homes fundraiser.
Rockabilly king Hawkins was also celebrating his 50th year in Canada and being honoured by roasters and toasters for his contributions in the community, most notably the 2004 flood relief concert and Festival of Lights.
"I wonder what this key will open," says Hawkins, who arrived in Canada in 1958 and now resides on Stoney Lake.
"Canada has been wonderful to me. I am telling you that it is the luckiest thing that ever happened to me when I decided to come to Canada and check it out."
After presenting the key to Hawkins, Mayor Paul Ayotte said that is wasn't often that they handed out a key to the city.
"We felt that he deserved," explained Mayor Ayotte, noting that Hawkins gave the city so much confidence at the 2004 flood concert.
"He is leader and his community giving deserves to be honoured."
The mayor's dinner and roast and toast raised between $8,000 and $10,000 for Homegrown Homes, according to Donna Clarke, administrator of Homegrown Homes.
"It has been has been a great night for Homegrown Homes and chance to honour Hawkins for his contributions to the community," explains, Ms Clarke.
Homegrown Homes, provides affordable housing for people in the city and is a community-based organization, which receives no government funding.
"Words can't explain how much the community appreciates his contributions to the Festival Lights, performing arts and other charities he supports."
"We wanted to make it exciting for guest and think that was accomplished with having Ronnie."
After a musical tribute by The Weber Bothers, which ended in a standing ovation, roasters and toasters expressed their gratitude towards "The Hawk"
"If there is a head master of the school of rock and roll it is defiantly Ronnie Hawkins," says Brent Bailey of Jericho's Wall.
"Ronnie has helped the area in everything from the flood benefits to playing at the Festival of Lights," explains Buzz Thompson, noting that he just found out that Hawkins' played for free.
"It is always important to do anything with Ronnie," says Ryan Weber of The Weber Brothers.
"We treasure any time we have with him. It was really important for us to be here and hopefully he liked it because I know it meant a lot to him to."

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  

link to the site

http://www.mykawartha.com/news/article/28209