Small Towns, Big Stages Award
Mitch with Keigan MacLennan and Alisdair Cameron, the recipients of the 2019 Small Towns, Big Stages award.
If you follow us on social media you know we have an enormous love of music. Music has played a significant role in our lives, especially Mitch’s.
In 2019, Mitch started the “Small Towns, Big Stages” award in a small effort to give back to the communities that supported him on his musical journey that took him from his first musical performances in his hometown to some of the biggest venues in the country. The award consists of a $1000 Long & McQuade gift card and has been given to some extremely talented high school graduates over the past 5 years. This award was made possible with the help of the Clove Hitch Bar and Bistro that provided the venue where Mitch hosted “Open Mic with Mitch at the Hitch” every Friday in the summer months before the pandemic. At each Open Mic there was a tip jar where 100% of the proceeds went towards the award. Long & McQuade and the Inverness County Municipality also generously contributed to the award. This allowed the graduates listed below to cash in a gift card at Long & McQuade, every musician’s favorite store.
2019
Alisdair Cameron - $1000 – Dalbrae
Keigan MacLennan - $1000 - Dalbrae
2020
Maggie Power - $1000 - Dalbrae
Seonaide Campbell - $500 - Dalbrae
Connor MacLean – $500 – Dalbrae
2021
Seph Clark - $1000 – CBHA
Malcolm MacMaster – $500 – Dalbrae
Evany Lesvesconte – $500 - Dalbrae
2022
Isabelle Samson - $1000 – RECA
Isaac Campbell – $1000 – Dalbrae
Robyn Eckhart – $1000 - Dr JH Gillis Regional High School
2023
Keira Landry - $1000 – RECA
Katie Agnes MacNeil – $1000 – Dalbrae
Dean Huskins – $1000 - Dr JH Gillis Regional High School
Our hope every year is to give at least three $1000 awards to three talented graduates. The first to a graduate from Dalbrae located in Mabou, where Mitch went to high school. The second to a graduate from Dr. John Hugh Regional High School in Antigonish, Mitch’s new hometown. The third to a musical graduate from the SRCE. To help reach this goal, $2 from every t-shirt sold will go towards the Small Town, Big Stages award. When Mitch isn’t selling houses or coaching hockey, he will hopefully get back to gigging and the tip jar will resurface once again.