I was disappointed by the low islander turnout for our Purdy Trust fundraiser but received some encouraging words from my film producer friend Fitch Cady. He wrote this on the local Bowen Island forum:

“Fabulous indeed. Many missed it, due to the sunny Sunday perhaps. The gathering was in Heather & Josef’s living room which is perfect for events like this. If we are lucky enough to have more events in this venue, do not be intimidated. It is worth the cross island drive and has a big enough space to gather and perform in and Heather works very hard at bringing these things together.

Canada’s poet laureate George Bowering, and poets Pete Trower and Jamie Reid were there from the continent. These guys who are major published Canadian poets, who all know each other and Purdy for years, standing up and reading at the mike in a living room on Bowen! Like where else in Canada would we be so lucky? Maybe Berkley..

And the island’s own published poets. Heather (poetry activist – I call her) performing her rhythmic poems set to music, and Bernice Lever describing an encounter as a poetry groupie with Purdy in a sleazy downtown hotel – fantastic, believe me, and Lisa Shatsky reciting from memory, with her usual direct candor, a homage poem to Purdy, that has been accepted by The New Yorker. This was a very hip event. I was thrilled to be there.”