Daron Letts
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 22/05) - Members of Yellowknife's arts community are gathering in the Northern United Place auditorium at 7:30 tonight to support one of their own.

Lone Sorenson shares a few chuckles during a Yellowknife Laughter Club meeting. She will lead a big group laugh at tonight's event.

The Dance and Laugh benefit concert is collecting money and aeroplan points to make sure Lone Sorenson and her family can be together in August.

Sorenson's 67-year-old father, living in Denmark, suffers from a chronic illness.

Sorenson's mom passed away last year and her dad feels isolated, she said.

She wants her father to see his grandchildren one more time, but the $6,000 airfare is a huge obstacle.

That's what friends are for.

Musician Greg O'Neill will emcee tonight's event. He'll play with members of his bluegrass combo, Big River Ramblers. Rick Poltaruk will perform I Love to Laugh, a song he wrote for World Laughter Day.

Ceilidh Friends Moira Cameron and Steve Goff will play some traditional music and recount their travel experiences from World Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan.

Other acts on the schedule include pianist Annette Austin, comedian Bill Reid and dancers Matthew Grogono and Gisele Forget.

You never know who else might show up.

"Friends have been so generous with their time and support," Sorenson said. "They understand how important it is to visit family while they're still here."

Sorenson left Denmark in the early 1980s and moved to Yellowknife in 1988.

She has been a big part of the community ever since, organizing World Laughter Day, helping out with the Caribou Carnival, volunteering at the YWCA and spreading smiles with her Global Inspirations laughter workshops.

"If people have no money to donate, I really hope they will still come to give us a smile and have some fun for themselves," she said.

"This is a great excuse to have a community celebration."

Participants are encouraged to wear red and white to represent the colours of Canada and Denmark.

Danish hors d'ouvres will be served.