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JOHN BISSET/Stuff
Jeff Domigan busking outside the Countdown supermarket in Church St, Timaru
Just over two years ago Jeff Domigan’s wife Sue passed away fromcancer, prompting him, even though he has Parkinson’s Disease, to take up busking for a good cause.
“At first I thought about the Cancer Society, but then I thought Hospice South Canterbury. Sue spent two to three weeks there.”
Domigan attempted to find a spot outside retail businesses around Timaru without success until the soon to close Countdown Supermarket in Church St, provided him a venue.
“I love reproducing music,” the 74-year-old says.
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“A lot of people like my singing; it’s just easy listening. Way back when my family went camping in Nelson I was a big Neil Diamond fan, and I’ve resurrected some of that.
“I do Louis Armstrong, the Bee Gees.”
Domigan usually has a two-hour stint outside the supermarket, long enough to raise a sizeable amount of money for Hospice South Canterbury.
“I found quite a few people knew me from mixing in golfing circles and I had my photo in your paper once a week when I was an AMP insurance agent in the 1970s.
JOHN BISSET/Stuff
All the money Jeff Domigan receives goes to Hospice South Canterbury.
“I average around $100 a day.
“I’ve got receipts; I’ve raised $2625 for Hospice and the good thing is I can claim it back in tax, 33 cents in the dollar, so I gave them another $800.”
Domigan started out strumming a ukulele as an eight-year-old growing up in Ōamaru and moved on to the guitar which he has played ever since.
He is a regular at Radius Elloughton Gardens where he plays and sings for an hour.
“I’ve been playing in rest homes for 30 years, from Taupō to Invercargill. Wherever I went I took my guitar with me. Sue might go shopping, I went and sang in a rest home.
“I did a lot of that in Christchurch when Sue was visiting her sister.”
JOHN BISSET/Stuff
Jeff Domigan also plays at a Timaru rest home, but his busking future remains uncertain with Countdown due to close its Church St supermarket.
Although he has suffered from Parkinson’s for the last few years, he is keen to keep on strumming, singing and raising cash for Hospice South Canterbury.
“I try to put in two hours, but I’m finding my arms have started to get tired after about one and three-quarter hours.”
While the rest home gig looks safe, his busking future appears uncertain with the Countdown supermarket about to close and a new Countdown due to open at the Showgrounds Hill.
“The manager said they own the building, they don’t own the land, so they have to get permission.”
He said he was open to suggestions and offers for a new spot to perform.
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