Sfcs_09-48

Jeff Green | Dec 03, 2009

Dave Linton tickled the ivories and guests sipped sparkling wine, nibbled cake and gathered at the chocolate fountain prior to assessing the goods to be auctioned off at the South Frontenac Community Services’ 20th anniversary and auction fundraiser.

It is their biggest fundraiser of the year and organizer Jennifer Linton, who is the fundraising chair, wanted to celebrate the 20-year history of serving the community.

“We wanted to increase the crowds so we held the event at the Golden Links Hall and included entertainment and food to try to get more people out.”

Those who came had a wide range of items to bid on including numerous gift baskets and gift certificates, hotel, restaurant and golf club packages and a wide range of items including a stationary bicycle, a Yamaha keyboard and original artworks plus a whole lot more.

Van of Van’s Auction services in Elginburg held court and the event included for the first time a silent auction as well.

This event is the SFCSC's fourth fundraiser since May and the event hoped to attract 70 plus bidders to assist in raising a fraction of the $30,000 that the corporation must raise annually to continue offering services to the community. It is an ongoing challenge in the current economic climate.

Deborah Andrews, Executive Director of the SFCSC, said “This year we have seen the demand on our services increase double. Typically we see 20 families relying on our services in any given month; this year we are now serving roughly 50 families monthly and that is a direct reflection of the economic climate that people are faced with. People often don’t anticipate having to call us and we tend to be an agency of last resort.”

Andrews is happy with the work that has been taking place on renovating the St. Paul’s manse in Harrowsmith. SFCSC will be using the manse for their food bank program and as a Seniors Centre, where they plan to offer an Adult Day program along with other seniors programming. Brenda Crawford secured a donation of laminate flooring and Dawn Sieben of Harrowsmith recently laid it down so that seniors can soon start using the building.

Andrews expects that beginning in January an arthritis exercise class will be offered to local seniors in the community. There are also plans to develop a steering committee, made of up seniors from the community, who will plan the programs and services that they want to see offered at the centre in the future.

Andrews explained “We’ve been soliciting feedback from seniors at our lunch programs and for example, they have requested access to computers so that they can email their grandkids.”

The SFCSC has already begun applying for funding to assist in the development of programs at the manse and grant applications have been made to the Watkins Fund through the United Church of Canada and to the New Horizons fund through HRDC with the help of Reverend Lynda Price.

In these tough economic times organizations that rely on fundraising as part of their budget are feeling the crunch but that has not deterred Andrews, who said, "We are always looking for new opportunities to support our programs."

The auction fundraiser raised $4,000. Anyone who missed the auction and who would still like to contribute or volunteer can visit the SFCSC’s website at www.ruralvisionscentre.org or can contact Kate Lett or Deborah Andrews at 613-376-6477