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OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, April 8, 2009 · 16 Living Oakville Beaver LIVING EDITOR: ANGELA BLACKBURN Phone: 905-845-3824, ext. 248 Fax: 905-337-5567 e-mail: ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com Puppet show gives voice to battle on brain tumours T he Puppet Tamer, aka Tim Holland, is coming to Maple Grove United Church on Thursday, April 16. The show, that begins at 9:30 a.m., is the second annual such fundraiser in support of the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada (www.braintumour.ca). The 45-minute show is filled with laugh-yourself-silly comedy and antics by ventriloquist puppeteer Holland and his misbehaving puppets, unicycle, juggling and more. There will be draws, raffles, a 50/50 draw, kids music and CDs for sale. Tickets cost $5 in advance or $7 at the door. Adults get in free. For tickets, contact organizer Shannon Speers at 905-469-3303, Shannonspeers.com or speersfactor@cogeco.ca. Tim Holland Speers is repeating the fundraiser she debuted last year in support of a friend living with a brain tumour. Speers herself is an early child- hood educator who runs a small private daycare in Oakville. She became involved with this cause because of her involvement with Jeff and Susan Graham and their children. Jeff is living with a brain tumour. Speers has been providing daycare for the two Graham children, Georgia and Jack, since May 2003. Three years ago, Speers joined Graham's support team and signed up to help out at the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada's Spring Sprint event. Last year, Speers saw Holland perform at Hopedale Mall, then decided to stage her own fundraiser. On the heels of the Oakville fundraiser, Speers said the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada will be hosting its 16th annual Toronto Spring Sprint 5km walk/run Shannon Speers and Georgia Graham Saturday, April 25 at Sunnybrook Park, Sports Pavilion, Toronto, check-in time 9 a.m., 10 a.m. start, minimum donation $45, rain or shine. Register at braintumour.ca. It's a family event and Speers has been involved in running the children's activity area. In the Oakville fundraiser, however, children will see cheap trickery to genuine magic, as Holland works to convince his audience of the dangers inherent in taming ferocious and unco-operative puppets. Holland has been professionally entertaining for nearly a decade in venues across Europe, Asia and Australia. "I hope to bring awareness not only about the condition, but also about hope, strength, positivity and the divine art of living that I have learned from Jeff and his family. We could all afford to take a few pages out of this story and apply it to our daily lives," said Speers.