Tickets sales for the Pirates of the Riverside Gala have set sail at a blistering pace, with the event nearly sold out, organizers are still seeking donations to make the event a success.
As of Monday afternoon, the tickets for the event were nearing 75 per cent sold out according Allison Cox Riverside Foundation for Health Care Director.
“We’re pretty excited this year to be in a new venue on the ice surface of the curling rink, because it means we’ve got more room, which means we can sell some more tickets this year,” she said. “We’re up to 75 per cent of our goal of 250 tickets. So if people are interested there are still some tables available if anyone wants to jump on board.”
A big part of the evening’s fundraising efforts are the silent and live auctions. Cox says they’re still looking to get donations for both silent and live auction items.
“We’re looking for donations to be used in our silent and live auctions,” she said. “This is always a big part of the fundraiser, it’s where most of our funds are raised during the evening. So if anyone has anything they’d like to contribute towards that they can give me a call at the foundation office and we can arrange either drop-off or pickup.”
They are open to all kinds of items being donated for the auctions. Gift certificates from local businesses or merchandise if that’s an option. Crafts from local artists are also appreciated and Cox added that seasonal preserves would be a great donation.
“Anything local based is always a big hit,” she said. “Even especially at this time of year, people are doing a lot of canning right now. A basket of preserves usually goes over really well. Anything that people are willing to give we’ll always find a use for. Even if it’s something that somebody things it’s a smaller item or they’re thinking ‘I can’t give too much’ we’ve got a good group of ladies that packages baskets up together with donations that we receive, so even if someone’s thinking, ‘you know, I can’t really give a whole lot, this won’t go very far.’ We’ll get it packaged up and get top dollar for it.”
Cox says they chose the Pirates of the Riverside theme because the funds raised will be distributed throughout the Riverside Health Care properties along the Rainy River in Fort Frances, Emo and Rainy River. $4,000 will go towards a disinfectant system for the walk in tub at the Rainy River Health Centre, $10,200 will be used to purchase a new Stryker bed & mattress for the Emo Health Centre, a Sit-to-Stand lift costing $7,500 will be purchased for La Verendrye General Hospital, and $7,000 will be put towards new dressers and nightstands for residents at Rainycrest Long Term Care.
Cox says she is hoping everyone attending will get on board with the theme and come in their pirate finery and there will be a visit from a Hollywood pirate as well.
“We’re really looking forward to seeing everyone dressed up in pirate garb. We do have Jack Sparrow coming to the event. So people can look forward to having a chat with Jack and Scarlett, they’ll be on hand,” Cox said. “We also have the opportunity for people to have their fortune told. So we’ve got an oracle reader that will be there doing some fortune telling.”
Other entertainment options include a temporary tattoo parlour, games and draws. The menu will feature a caribbean themed meal prepared by Cater2U
The Riverside Foundation for Health Care gala is Saturday Sept. 14 at the Curl Fort Frances Community Centre at 5 p.m. Tickets are available by contacting Allison Cox at the Riverside Foundation Office at 807-274-4803 or by email allison.cox@RHCF.on.ca.
