Music and sound have consumed Barry McKillican for most of his adult life beginning with bands and music in his early 20s. At 24 he moved his family to Vancouver where he studied sound at Institute of Communication Arts.
But by the time he was 32 he realized his passion lay with sound, in all its many facets but he was determined to return to Quesnel’s family-friendly and find a way to pursue his career here.
“I started out doing fashion shows for Maple Park Mall,” Barry said.
“Dan Hache recognized I knew what I was doing and let me do my thing.”
How do you get known for your skills? Well, for Barry it was doing various freebees for the city and various service clubs, including becoming part of Billy Barker Days Society, the CDC telethon and of course Relay for Life.
These organizations, specifically Relay for Life, are still dear to Barry’s heart and he continues to provide his services free of charge.
Barry is no stranger to cancer, he lost both his parents, within three weeks of each other, to cancer in 1998 and the disease has touched him many times over the years.
“Cancer is the tie that binds, the common thread in Relay for Life,” he said.
“In life you make choices about where you’ll volunteer your time and Relay for Life is one choice I make.”
Each year he looks forward to seeing people he may only see at this event.
“Being surrounded by so many dedicated people of all ages is rewarding and keeps me coming back year after year.”
Through his many business ventures over the years and despite his current hectic life owning and operating the Occidental, Barry still finds time to give his time to the community in the way he knows best, through sound.
There’s still time to form a Relay for Life team by either contacting the local office, 778-466-3332 or online at cancer.ca/Relay and filling out a registration form.
Relay for Life in Quesnel is slated for May 30 in LeBourdais Park, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. where the place will be packed with teams, activities, entertainment on the Friendship Stage and plenty of camaraderie. This year’s theme is the Colours of Cancer and its expected to be a colourful day in the park.