Better Winnipeg: Benefit concert feeds kids and honours murdered mother

Final preparations are underway for a benefit concert held to help feed inner city children in Winnipeg.

The night of music and fundraising came to life after the murder of a 31-year-old mother of four.

On July 19, 2011, Cara Lynn Hiebert was found dead on Redwood Avenue.

Her friend Isabel Daniels has organized an annual tribute concert ever since.

“We were best friends for 18 years,” said Daniels.

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This year’s show held at the Royal George Hotel in Transcona is an evening of classic rock and blues music played by local bands 3daybinge, Wreckin So and Tin Can Bandits.

Money raised is used to buy food for inner city children – a way to honour Hiebert.

“She lived in the inner city. She was always feeding kinds in the neighbourhood,” said Daniels.

Daniels has raised over $9,000 for school breakfast programs from her Rock Against Hunger concerts.

“I was young when I had my kids. I was in my early twenties,” said Daniels.

“I was on social assistance so I understand the struggle of putting food on the table.”

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Last year Daniels purchased 70 boxes of cereal, 14 crates of juice and spent $500 dollars on schools supplies.

“I just think that it’s our responsibility to make sure that the innocent people in our society have a good start to the day because education is the key to success,” said Daniels.

“If kids are hungry they’re not focusing on school, they’re not focusing on their education, they’re focusing on where their next meal will come from.”

This year Daniels is hoping to raise even more money for the school breakfast programs at Norquay Elementary, Niji Mahkwa, William Whyte and Gordon Bell High School.

“I feel like I’ve come a long way, but I feel like I have a lot more to go and help a lot more people.”

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Rock Against Hunger is being held at the Royal George Hotel at 123 Regent Avenue West, Saturday July 23 from 8 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are $20, price includes a basket of chicken wings.

Better Winnipeg is a weekly feature by Eva Kovacs that highlights people and events that make Winnipeg a better place to live. If you have a story idea email it to: betterwinnipeg@globalnews.ca