“S.S. FESTIVAL” SET SAIL SOLD OUT, RETURNS TO PORT WITH $300,321 RAISED
More than 1,000 people filled the John D. Bradley Convention Centre on Saturday, April 14, for the 11th annual Chatham-Kent Festival of Giving. Though it shared a date with the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the great ocean liner Titanic, the S.S. Festival enjoyed calm seas and fair breezes raising just over $300,000 for the Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent and the numerous food banks across the community operated by Outreach for Hunger (Chatham), the Salvation Army (Chatham, Wallaceburg, Blenheim, Ridgetown) and the United Way of Chatham-Kent (Tilbury). This year smaller food banks in Wheatley and Dresden will be offered support as well. Live entertainment on the main stage and at our ports of call included a Neil Diamond tribute act, a Jimmy Buffett tribute act, a mariachi band, duelling pianists, The O’Hara Brothers Band and more. Thanks to our over 200 volunteers who helped make the event run smoothly.
To see our sponsor recognition ad from the Chatham Daily News, click this link.
To see our event program, click this link.
To see our volunteer appreciation ad from the Chatham Daily News, click these links.
Volunteer Thank You Ad – right
3rd Annual Mosaic Art Gala Raises $19,345 for Adapted Arts Programming and Music Therapy
Close to 80 people enjoyed the 3rd Annual Mosaic Art Gala on Thursday evening, September 29, and raised more than $19,000 for the Express Yourself campaign in support of adapted arts programs and music therapy services at the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent. The Centre was transformed into a glittering art auction house, flamenco guitarist Darryl Orr entertained, and delicious hors d’oeuvres and desserts were served. The highlights of the evening included a flash mob dance routine involving several client children and, of course, the live auction of artwork created by client children at art camps this past summer and many donated works of art from local professional artists.
A special thanks to the following:
- Tracy Bultje, who without her time, talent and energy, none of this would have been remotely possible
- Thompsons Limited of Blenheim for being our Masterpiece Sponsor
- Susan Aarssen for her amazing photographic and design skills
- Betty Anne McGeorge, Becky Fixter Vagners, Andrea Vuletin, Vanessa Cornell, John Lyons, Laurie Langford, Christy DeKoning, Rob Bajer, Linda Van de Bovenkamp and Janos Gardonyi for their generous donations of time, talent or both
- Jennifer Dunn for her donation of a piece of artisan jewelry for auction
- All of our child artists and photographers, and their families
- Downies of Blenheim for their generous donations of framing and matting
- Greg Hetherington for his auctioneering skills
- Melanie Freeman and Happy Endings Cupcakes for the donation of delectable desserts
- Keith Hindmarsh of Harvest Moon Catering
- Jason Gillett, for his information technology wizardry once again
- Katy Uher for her emceeing talents
- Our Centre dancers, greeters and servers
- Mike and Paula Grail
- Darrin Canniff
- Our friends at ARTspace for displaying the children’s artwork
- Douglas Desmond of Ridgetown for co-ordinating the donation of items from his juried exhibition
- Staff at the Children’s Treatment Centre for always stepping up to do what it takes
- Heather Sarson for her extra effort in setting up and promoting the Mosaic Art and Photography Campsyours today.
In the three years of the Mosaic Art Gala event, more than $76,000 has been raised by patrons, donors and sponsors to go toward valuable programming and services provided to children from across Chatham-Kent with developmental challenges.
Blackburn Gift Pushes Fitness Campaign Across Finish Line
A $10,000 gift from The Walter J. Blackburn Foundation announced June 7, 2011, which follows quickly on the heels of a $5,000 “Champions for Healthy Kids” grant from General Mills Canada a week earlier, has propelled the Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent ‘s “Fitness Fun for ALL Kids!” campaign across the finish line.
Art Stirling, Foundation Executive Director, said during the charity’s annual general meeting, that the campaign raised a total of $155,327. Launched in early 2010 with the assistance of Chatham native and Canadian Paralympian sledge hockey player Derek Whitson, the campaign supported the Centre’s portfolio of adapted sports programs for children with developmental challenges. Later that same year, a stretch goal of $150,000 was announced.
“Blackburn Radio, through The Walter J. Blackburn Foundation, is proud to support the Centre and its important work in the community,” said Walter Ploegman, Operations & Marketing Manager, Blackburn Radio, Chatham. “We share the same core values in supporting our caring and giving community. Congratulations on your success.”
Adapted sports programs offered include baseball, soccer, sledge hockey, bocce, golf, gymnastics, swimming and others. For children with disabilities, specialized equipment and active therapist involvement are often required for them to participate and enjoy the physical and social benefits of sport activities.
Major donations were also received from The Forzani Group Foundation (SportChek), GoodLife Kids Foundation, Dover Kinsmen/Kinettes, Scotiabank Group, Tim Hortons – Chatham Ownership Group, Libro Financial Group, BMO Kids ‘n Motion, Thomas and Susan Omstead, Kiwanis Club of Ridgetown, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent’s Community Partnership Fund and several others.
In addition, proceeds from last fall’s Thompsons Limited Mosaic Art Gala, January’s Michael Jackson tribute concert at the Capitol Theatre, and two golf tournaments, one organized by local RBC Royal Bank branches and one involving Pioneer Hi-Bred’s employees, contributed to the successful outcome.
$365,000 Cleared at “California Dreamin’” Festival of Giving 2011!
“Welcome to the Hotel California, what a lovely place, what a lovely face. They’re living it up at the Hotel California, what a nice surprise, bring your alibis.”
Organizers are ecstatic about the $365,000 cleared at the 10th anniversary edition of Chatham-Kent’s premier annual fundraising event … the Festival of Giving . With 988 tickets sold in less than a day, the attendees were treated to the best that the Golden State has to offer. Chatham’s Kinsmen Auditorium was transformed on Saturday, April 16, to reflect the glitter of Hollywood, the laidback vibe of Venice Beach and the casual sophistication of Napa Valley. All proceeds from the event go to the Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent; the food banks across Chatham-Kent operated by Outreach for Hunger, the Salvation Army and the United Way; the Chatham-Kent Women’s Centre; the Acceptional Riders Therapeutic Program and Big Brothers Big Sisters Chatham-Kent.
After their ‘walk down the red carpet’, attendess enjoyed a California-themed meal, wine tasting and live and silent auctions with 450+ items. Our magical entertainers included Lady Gaga, The Blues Brothers, the Baywatch Girls, the Beach Boys, James Bond, Joan Rivers and the always popular O’Hara Brothers Band.
FOG ’11 Sponsor Recognition Ad, Chatham Daily News
FOG ’11 Sponsor Recognition Billlboard
FOG’11 Thank You Ad – Left Side
FOG’11 Thank You Ad – Right Side
THOMPSONS LIMITED MOSAIC ART GALA RAISES $30,450
Our MASTERPIECE Sponsor:
More than 130 people enjoyed a celebration of art and abilities on September 30 at the Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent’s 2nd annual Thompsons Limited Mosaic Art Gala. A grand total of $30,450 was raised through ticket sales and by bidding in live and silent auctions on artwork created by children at the Centre and by local professional artists. Sarah Hiltz entertained the crowd while guests nibbled on scrumptious treats by Harvest Moon Catering and local Tim Hortons’ owners Mike and Paula Grail. The amount raised was $4,000 more than last year’s inaugural event, and will help the Fitness Fun for ALL Kids1 campaign to exceed its target of $100,000.
Click here to see the event program:
The Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent would like to thank the following for helping to make the event a huge success:
- Tracy and George Bultje
- Mike and Paula Grail
- Maria and Jerry O’Brien
- Susan and Greg Aarssen
- Thompsons Limited
- Keith Hindmarsh, Harvest Moon Catering
- Maple Art Gallery
- Downies Photo, Art & Framing
- Jim’s Six Cent Shop
- Greg Hetherington
- Jason Gillett
- Mike Blazek, Karen Bourassa, Kathryn Bultje, Christy DeKoning, Becky Fixter Vagners, Janos Gardonyi, Kelly Ridley, Cathy VanRaay Myers and Andrea Vuletin
- Centre child artists, dancers and signing choir members
- Centre staff
- ARTspace
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.
