EVERY CHILD SHOULD BE HEARD CAMPAIGN A HUGE SUCCESS
Officials with the recently formed Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent presented the Children’s Treatment Centre with a cheque for $67,362 on December 14, 2009. The funds, the result of the Foundation’s first community appeal — a $50,000 request launched in July — will be used to purchase equipment for an accredited Augmentative and Alternative Communications Clinic, also a first for Chatham-Kent.
“We are thrilled with the response from Chatham-Kent to our Every Child Should Be Heard campaign,” said Mike Grail, Foundation board chair. “We couldn’t have asked for a better result for our first official fundraising effort.”
Guyanne Smoke, the Centre’s board chair agreed. “This is exciting because children with significant communication challenges will now get the support they need much sooner and much closer to home,” she said.“Today, non-verbal children requiring assistive devices are referred to the Thames Valley Children’s Centre in London and face a wait time of 18 to 24 months.”
Whilemany individuals, companies and service clubs contributed, Grail acknowledged that funds raised at two events, the Foundation’s first Mosaic Art Gala and the RBC Golf Tournament put on by staff of the two Chatham branches, were critical to the campaign total.
Substantial donations were also received from:
- President’s Choice Children’s Charity
- Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited
- Gengrowth/Boralex
- Gengrowth Solar
- RBC Dominion Securities
- the Centre’s own employees
In addition, a number of local construction companies donated, including:
- Windmill Cabinets
- South Western Construction
- Bouma Builders
- Henry Heyink Excavating
Chatham La Sertoma, the student body at Ursuline College Chatham, the Blenheim Rotary Club and the Chatham-Kent Community Foundation (Corsini Fund) also donated.
Smoke said that the additional funds raised above the $50,000 target will cover equipment cost increases as well as allow the Clinic to accelerate its development with additional resources.
ART GALA RAISES $32,000; EXCEEDS ORGANIZERS’ EXPECTATIONS
On Thursday, October 8, more than 130 people enjoyed a wonderful evening filled with art, dance, music and food at the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent. After the live and silent auctions concluded, it was announced that $32,000 was raised toward the “Every Child Should Be Heard!” campaign to equip an Augmentative and Alternative Communications Clinic at the Centre.
The evening featured an encore performance of the Centre’s adapted dance program participants, musical entertainment by Tom Lockwood, mouthwatering food prepared by Three Generations Catering, and a delightful assembly of art pieces produced by child artists during camps this summer at the Centre and by local visiting professional artists.
The host of the event, the Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent, wishes to thank Downies in Blenheim and Maple Art Gallery in Chatham for their generous donation of matting and framing services. We also thank all of the artists for their contributions to our event, especially board director Tracy Bultje whose inspiration, organization and perspiration made this event possible.
