Meet the 'sweethearts' behind this Port Coquitlam fundraiser

When Linda Kozina left her bank job to become the first executive director of the Crossroads Hospice Society, she knew she would have to find a way to bring in the bucks.

And because she and her husband, Mark, an engineer, were both entertainers on the side, they knew a lot of local musicians who could help with fundraising for the hospice.

Kozina floated the idea of hosting an ongoing concert series to her friend and neighbour, David Lowe, and soon the pair was staging musical shows in his Port Coquitlam basement.

Officially, though, the Crossroads Coffeehouse launched on Aug. 6, 1999, in a room at the Elks Hall in Leigh Square, with Claudette Cayer and Friends as the featured artists.

They held three performances there until Len Bergquist, then the general manager of the PoCo Inn and Suites, invited the Coffeehouse to play at his hotel twice a month, for free.

Now, after a few years of bouncing to other venues around the city, including the Port Coquitlam Community Centre, the Coffeehouse is back at Leigh Square —just in time for its silver year.

On Nov. 22, the Kozinas, better known as the PoCo Sweethearts, will be joined by dozens of musical acts that volunteered to make the fundraiser become what it is today: a showcase for Tri-City music lovers that’s collected nearly $100,000 for the hospice.

“Twenty-five years is a fairly long time in the life of a live music venue and especially for a fundraiser,” said Bill Marshall, who took over the Coffeehouse programming in 2006.

But over the past quarter century, Crossroads Coffeehouse has branched out to bring in money in other ways — namely, through a limited edition CD called Open Stage, published in 2000; with benefit concerts at the Terry Fox and Massey theatres, the latter with the band UHF; and a calendar in the style of the movie Calendar Girls, printed in 2008.

Music therapy

Still, Kozina said the Coffeehouse is only one part of the society’s music outreach.

At the hospice in Port Moody, a $2.8-million space that Kozina also raised funds for more than 20 years ago, the PoCo Sweethearts are part of a rotating group that plays folk music and classic ballads twice a month to terminally ill patients, their families and guests.

“Music,” she said, “is what feelings sound like, and it brings out hidden emotions. Music is so lovely in the hospice, helping patients and their visitors feel connected and calm.”

At November’s Crossroads celebration, she’ll talk about the music therapy work at the hospice, as well as what’s to come for the Crossroad Coffeehouse’s next 25 years.

“We’ve accomplished so much,” she said.

“The concerts are a nice, cheap night out with many friends. And I think as the hospice is used more and more, we will continue to raise awareness about its programs and enjoy the music that’s shared.”

Jackie Gorton, executive director of the Crossroads Hospice Society, praised the Kozinas for their efforts.

"Linda and Mark Kozina have contributed to Crossroads in more ways than can be enumerated but I think the Crossroads Coffeehouse is probably one of their highlights. It has contributed financially over the years in a very significant way but, more importantly, the Coffeehouse has contributed through continued community awareness and engagement."

The next Crossroads Coffeehouse concert is on Friday, Sept. 27 at the Gathering Place (1100-2253 Leigh Sq.) in Port Coquitlam. It opens at 7:30 p.m. with Friendly Folk; at 8:45 p.m., the duo Wayne and Gord will perform. Admission is $10 (cash) at the door. For more information, you can visit the Crossroads Coffeehouse page on Facebook.

A sample of Coffeehouse featured acts over the past 25 years: