Close to 1,000 people filled up the John D. Bradley Convention Centre in Chatham on Saturday for the 18th annual Festival of Giving.
The event, which featured food, drink, entertainment and a variety of sporting activities for attendees to try, raised more than $235,000. A large and varied number of items was also available in various auctions and raffles.
The theme for the annual fundraiser was Wide World of Sports. The biggest winner and primary beneficiary of the night was the Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent. The foundation works to raise community awareness and funds for the Children’s Treatment Centre, which provides care to children in the community who have physical, developmental or communication challenges.
Various local charities also benefited from the proceeds of the evening for the volunteer effort they put into helping make the festival a success. Some volunteers were working as early as last Wednesday to get ready for Saturday’s event.
The Average Joe’s arrive with their game face on at the 18th annual Festival of Giving held at the John C. Bradley Convention Centre on Saturday. The fundraiser raised over $235,000 for The Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation of Chatham-Kent and other local charities. (David Gough/Postmedia Network)
With a strong and experienced volunteer base, Chris McLeod, co-chair of the event along with Tim Regan, said the event is a well-oiled machine, but they always have a few last-minute hurdles to overcome.
“A lot of things come up but the community support when we have a problem at the last minute, they step up and they fill that void really quick,” McLeod said.
With a sporting theme, most of the people attending dressed up in various sports uniforms. Hockey jerseys were a common outfit, with just about every local and NHL team accounted for.
McLeod said the strong appeal of the event is that it’s fun night out for a good cause.
“People look forward to it. They dress up for it, and it’s one of those events that you don’t want to miss.”
Attendees walked through a marching band going into the convention centre and had a tailgate waiting for them outside the entrance to add to the event’s theme.
The Festival of Giving, which was first organized in 2002 by current Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff in the gymnasium of the former Blessed Sacrament Catholic school and basement of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, has expanded over the years to the Bradley convention centre.
“If we had anyplace bigger we would be there,” McLeod said.
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