THORNBURY CLARKSBURG ROTARY CLUB
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On June 6, the Thornbury-Clarksburg Rotary club hosted the very successful Stay at Home Gala ‘Hope in the Valley’. The success of the event, in purest terms, was based on the way our community came together to support families in our community – particularly those struggling during these challenging times. The compassion and generosity displayed by the people that surround us in our daily lives was overwhelming.
Online performances will obviously never be as great as live shows, but overall it was an enjoyable, warm and upbeat evening - owed largely to the delightful presence of MCs Tyler Boyle and Amy Tepperman. The gala featured an incredible array of talented entertainers from the area, and inspirational local guest speakers who shared their perspectives on how the pandemic has been affecting our community members.
As the viewers enjoyed the show, many also savoured delicious meals ordered from participating local restaurants and continued their bidding on favoured auction items. By the end of the night, the fundraiser had reached about 90 per cent of its $40,000 goal.
Significant donations received from The WC Kitchen Family Foundation, Gary Shaw and Karen Willison (Royal LePage Locations North), as well as TD Bank and Thornbury Pharmasave, are deeply appreciated.
Other contributions came in the form of ticket sales, straight-up donations, and bids during the impressive silent auction of almost 60 items gifted by local businesses and individuals. As a point of interest, the motivation for the auction came from the donation of an autographed book from Canadian astronaut, Chris Hadfield.
The Hope in the Valley website -- https://trellis.org/stayathomegala-bluemountains -- will stay active until June 15 at noon, allowing an opportunity for those who still wish to support the cause (with a 100% income tax receipt). The $40,000 goal is in close reach.
What an event! Hopefully, as encouraged by many attendees, we can hold this event live next year.
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