News Item
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 CBC Television comedy show The Royal Canadian Air Farce was in Brandon Friday, April 4th for a live taping. Not only did it result in two sold-out shows, but it ended up providing some profile and a generous donation to the stress line.
Starring: Roger Abbott, Don Ferguson, Luba Goy.
Special Guest Appearances: Rick Borotsik (MP, Brandon-Souris); Dave Burgess (Mayor, Brandon); Dean Jenkinson; Sue Johanson; Peter Jordan; Peter Mansbridge; Lloyd Robertson; Members of the 26th Royal Canadian Artillery, Brandon Reserve Regiment
The Manitoba Farm and Rural Stress Line accept a big cheque ($10,000!) from the Royal Canadian Air Farce. Left to right: Kim moffat, Val MacKay, Lois Horner, Jan McIntyre, Wynn Collier, Janet Smith and Carl Cunningham.
April 9, 2003
Farm and Rural Stress Line receives major donation
By Lorraine Stevenson
Farmer's Independent Weekly staff
Brandon - The Royal Canadian Air Farce's comedy team keep Canadians laughing at themselves, but they never sidestep the serious issues either.
Last week, the CBC's comedy team -- Roger Abbott, Don Ferguson and Luba Goy -- brought their chicken cannon and their Canadian Moment Donut Shop to Brandon, putting on two live-to-tape shows at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium.
After their two sold-out performances, seating 800 each show, the Air Farce team announced it would donate the proceeds of the show's ticket sales to two local charities -- the Manitoba Farm and Rural Stress Line (MFRSL) and a Brandon-based group called W.A.T.C.H. -Westman Hospice, an organization providing support and services for individuals and families caring for persons who are terminally ill.
Each group received a substantial donation of $10,000 each.
This is the first time the Air Farce, the highest rated show on CBC television, has done an on-the-road show since moving from radio to television in 1997. The Brandon show aired on CBC on April 4.
Janet Smith, co-ordinator of the farm and rural stress line, said they are very grateful to be chosen as recipients of this donation. She said a producer from show contacted them a couple of weeks prior, informing them that they'd been selected as a charity of the comedy team's choosing.
"We are very, very pleased," said Smith. The stress line's advisory committee will meet later this month will talk about the best way to spend this substantial donation, she said. "We going to have to do some talking about the best way to spend this, to have the most impact on farm and rural families," she said.
The Farm and Rural Stress Line operated as a volunteer, charitable organization until December 2000, when it became a permanent service funded by the provincial government. It is now funded through Manitoba Health. Since becoming a permanent service, rural Manitobans utilize their services more and more, Smith said. "We are seeing an ever increasing number of calls from all over the province," she said. For many, the stress line is the first call people make when in crisis and people often say there are no other mental health services available to them, she said.
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 Look for full coverage of the event on the airfarce.ca site.
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