On Monday, July 11, Jim Treliving returns home to Virden, Manitoba, for a special Hometown Star, presented by Cineplex, in honour of his induction to Canada’s Walk of Fame.
The Hometown Stars initiative launched in 2017, providing all future Inductees with an additional opportunity to celebrate their induction in their hometown with a free public celebration featuring a commemorative plaque unveiling (to be mounted at a unique location of their or their families’ choice), special guests, and musical performances.
As part of their induction to Canada’s Walk of Fame, each Inductee receives a $10,000 donation to the charity or cause of their choice. Jim has selected The Virden Auditorium Theatre as the beneficiary. At this event, Jim will also be inducted into Virden Collegiate’s Wall of Fame.
2019 Canada’s Walk of Fame Inductee Jim Treliving is an accomplished Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist. Following an eight-year career with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, in 1968, Jim opened the first Boston Pizza in Penticton, B.C. and has since grown the operation to more than 400 restaurants across North America. Recently named to the Order of Canada, Jim’s 15 seasons on the CBC reality show Dragons’ Den has made him a national treasure and the longest-standing dragon on the popular show. Known for his down-to-earth Manitoba charm, savvy deal-making and competitive nature, in addition to his professional responsibilities, Jim is a dedicated philanthropist and advocate for mental health and the Founder of the Boston Pizza Foundation which has helped raise and donate more than $33 million to Canadian charities to date.
Manitoba’s own Tara Mathew will perform as part of the presentation. The Manitoba native has enjoyed an international career as a singer, performer and recording artist. Mathew became a “musical ambassador” for the Canadian government, leading to her performing at the Pan Am Games in Winnipeg and VIP events across North America. She was only one of 10 artists offered to attend the prestigious Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria; she toured through India and secured a recording contract with a U.K. label. She is now back home in Oak Lake and is a regular performer at The Aud.
The AUD Theatre’s doors will open at 4:45 pm, July 11th “and you are going to want to be there right away as the pre-ceremony music at 5:00 pm will feature two veterans of the AUD stage – pride of Oak Lake, Tara Mathew (formerly Abbott) and Virden graduate Brady Chyzyk singing fabulous jazz tunes with Westman’s finest rhythm players – Heather Klassen on Piano, Matt Kozicki on bass, and Graydon Cramer on drums,” say the celebration’s organizers.
They also say “We were asked to provide an anthem performance, and in tribute to our area’s many fine choral musicians, a group of choral musicians/AUD stage veterans will perform O Canada as arranged by Winnipegger Scott Reimer. This fine collection of outstanding singers (only a small fraction of so much of our local talent) hails from VCI’s Classes of 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2006, 2013, 2018, and 2023.
It is interesting to note that this group also features leading performers from past AUD productions of Anne of Green Gables, Sound of Music, Joseph, Legally Blonde, Footloose, Crazy for You, Mamma Mia, Shrek, the Addams Family, Frozen, and this year’s Matilda the Musical.
Tara Mathew will sing “A Million Dreams” from the Greatest Showman.”
