Duane Hicks
A year of planning has paid off for the local Legion Ladies Auxiliary.
While the final fundraising total for their first-ever “Pre-Grammy Awards Gala” here Saturday night still was being tallied as of press time today, organizers are confident they exceeded their $10,000 goal to buy new chairs for the Legion Hall.
“I think it was very successful,” said Christina McDougall, chair of the fundraising committee, told the Times yesterday.
“We’re really happy with how the event went.
“We had lots of compliments on the food,” she added. “We’re still getting phone calls about the food.
“I think everybody enjoyed themselves.”
Fellow committee member Giselle Calder agreed the event was “fabulous.”
“There were lots of good comments we received from everybody,” she noted.
“Being our first time, we were all really happy with it.”
McDougall noted many of the gala-goers got dressed to the nines Saturday evening.
“We don’t get enough opportunities in Fort Frances to do that,” she remarked.
“It’s nice to dress up fancy without costumes and stuff.”
McDougall credited the efforts of Calder and her fellow committee members in Leslie Bell, Alfreda Easton, Diane Gibson, Margie Gibson, Silvia Gunderson, Dorese Harrison, and Melanie Williams, who worked for the past year to bring the gala to fruition.
She also recognized the support from local businesses and individuals who sponsored and attended the gala.
“The community was amazing to us; helping us out to raise the funds,” McDougall said.
“We got lots of support from local businesses and the local people.”
“We’re really, really happy with the support we got from the town and from the people that did attend,” echoed Calder.
While McDougall said the Legion ladies already have gotten many calls from people asking them to hold another gala next year, she noted that as of right now, it probably won’t happen again until 2019.
The auxiliary will be hosting the district meeting as its big event for 2018.
In addition to the purchase of new chairs for the Legion hall, funds raised Saturday also will be used to help the auxiliary give back to the community.
It regularly sponsors high school bursaries, Royal Canadian Legion Provincial Council scholarships, Royal Canadian Legion Br. #29 and the veterans, and several youth sports funds.
The auxiliary also donated to the local Salvation Army, Riverside Foundation for Health Care, 908 Rainy Lake Air Cadets, “Relay For Life,” Rainycrest, “Backpacks for Kids,” “Kids & Co.,” the community Christmas dinner, the District Festival for the Performing Arts, “Project Petunia,” the Border Skating Club, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Alzheimer Society, and more.
About 100 people attended the lavish, music-themed celebration at the Legion Hall, which was glammed up by Diane Gibson of Gibson Design.
Gibson did the work free of charge as her donation to the event.
In addition to a delicious meal of Chicken Oscar, seasoned baby potatoes, roasted vegetables, spinach salad, and lemon mousse dessert, gala-goers were treated with musical entertainment.
Brittany Strachan sang Lukas Graham’s “7 Years,” which was nominated for Song of the Year and Record of the Year at this year’s Grammys (held Sunday night).
Meanwhile, “Entyrely Mac” played Kenny Chesney and Pink’s “Setting the World on Fire,” which had been nominated for Best Duo/Group Performance this year.
The Fort Frances Youth Ensemble performed “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” by Justin Timberlake, which was nominated for Best Song Written for Visual Media while Melanie Williams nailed Adele’s “Hello,” which was up for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance at this year’s Grammys.
Williams, who runs Party Rock DJ Services, also was emcee for the evening.
The gala also featured its own “awards ceremony,” as event sponsors were presented with trophies to thank them for their support.
Recipients included Gibson Design, New Gold, the Legion, Fort Frances Lions Club, 93.1 The Border, Flint House, Tbaytel, Lessard’s Sunny Beach Resort, and Party Rock DJ Services.
Being a fundraiser, the gala featured numerous ways for folks to spend their cash-ranging from a silent auction, penny table, and swag bags to a 50/50 draw, where folks were asked to guess who they thought would win eight different Grammys during Sunday night’s awards ceremony.
Cindy Manty won the 50/50 draw.
A grand prize draw for a four-day stay at Lessard’s Sunny Beach Lodge was won by Tina Waldie.
The gala was capped off with a dance until midnight.
