“Top Off Days” is being hailed as a huge success by organizers, with it raising more than $4,000 for the Riverside Foundation for Health Care in just two days at Canada Safeway here.
Safeway manager Paul Miller said about $2,000 was raised from people “topping up” their grocery bills while the rest was made between the barbecue and raffle.
“That’s a huge task to raise $2,000 in two days,” Miller said. “I think it’s a true reflection of how this community gets together for events.”
“We thought it went very well,” echoed Clare Brunetta, chairman of the Riverside Foundation board. “I was just amazed at the number of volunteers who came out to help us.
“I thought people had a lot of fun with the barbecue and the raffle.”
Volunteer “celebrity” baggers also helped work the Safeway check-outs as part of the event. And Miller said everyone who participated seemed to have a good time.
“I think most worked up an appetite so they could go out and get a hamburger or smokie at the barbecue,” he laughed.
“One woman come up to me and said after they had been in line for an hour, they had a new appreciation for what goes on in the store,” he added.
While the money wasn’t raised for any one particular item, Brunetta said there were several projects the local hospital board had asked the foundation to raise money for, such as renovations at La Verendrye hospital or the purchase of a mammography unit or laproscopic equipment.
Brunetta added the foundation was about to make its district appeal, and that “people should see something in their mail over the next few days.”
Meanwhile, fundraising events for the foundation will continue over the summer at Safeway. Staff there are donating some of their paycheque to have dress-down Saturdays, plus the store will be selling a cookbook.
Tickets, costing $5 each, also are available for a raffle on a fly-in fishing trip for four from Nestor Falls Fly-In to be won this summer, Miller said.
Featured
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
