The 2021 Jazz Festival is pleased to announce a donation to The United Way for “The Anita Project” to honour the Robertson family legacy of community giving.

The Founding Chair of the TD Niagara Jazz Festival, Joe Roberston, his wife Anita and daughter Laura were tragically killed in a plane crash in July of 2018. Their loss was felt deeply by the Niagara community.

On Wednesday, June 24th, 2021, festival founders Juliet Dunn and Peter Shea, along with former Chair April Mitchell-Boudreau, were pleased to present a cheque to the United Way Niagara for “The Anita Project”. The donation was a beautiful way to weave together the Robertson’s love for the TD Niagara Jazz Festival and the couple’s dedication to community giving.

“We were shocked and saddened by the sudden loss of Joe, Anita and Laura in 2018 and we are forever grateful for Joe’s guidance and leadership as the Founding Chair of our festival. The spirit of these generous and loving souls will live on forever. The Sing-a-long Fundraiser event that April created would have made them proud. The festival is pleased to be able to give back to ‘The Anita Fund’ in their honour.”

Juliet Dunn – Executive Director, Artistic Producer and Co-creator
and Peter Shea – Co-creator and Artist Consultant

On December 6, 2020 the TD Niagara Jazz Festival presented Home for the Holidays, a virtual holiday sing-along. The virtual sing-along was directed and produced by April Mitchell-Boudreau, the former chair of the TD Niagara Jazz Festival. She was also the Chair of this fundraising event. “Joe Robertson was the founding Board Chair of the Festival, and loved a good singalong. He and his family were passionate supporters of the Arts and did so much here in Niagara to create a flourishing atmosphere for creativity and wellness. It seemed fitting to include The Anita Project as a beneficiary as this incredible legacy lives on.” April Mitchell-Boudreau Former Board Chair, TD Niagara Jazz Festival

“Home for the Holidays” was filmed at Ridley College amidst the beautiful architecture of the Niagara landmark. It was hosted by Andrew McPherson and Jane Lewis. Both Ridley alumni, they have achieved great success in their musical careers. The one hour show featured Tenja Hagenberg and her students from Performance on Point, performances from Ridley’s Upper and Lower Schools, Blundell’s School in the United Kingdom and one of the festival’s ‘JAZZ 4 the AGES Youth Competition’ winners – Evan Lewis Dolinski.

Anita Roberston was passionate about the United Way and had been involved since 2011 in many roles. She was the agency’s Campaign Chair in 2015. As a way to grieve, and to honour her memory, a group of her friends started an initiative affectionately named “The Anita Project”. Several years prior, Anita had organized hygiene kit packing parties as a way to introduce friends to the needs in our community. The kits include a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, a face cloth deodorant, dental floss, a comb and soap. The kits are picked up by agencies and delivered to those in the region who are most vulnerable.

“Anita was a passionate leader in our community. This project continues to be a wonderful way to honour the work she did in our community. The $880 raised through the TD Jazz Festival is a great boost to our annual fundraiser for this project.”

Kaylin Bailey, Manager, Individual Giving
United Way Niagara