Attendees of the recent Gala for the Kids raised more than $160,000 and travelled the world, all in one evening.
The gala, which is a fundraiser for the Foundation of the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent (CTCCK), took place April 4 at the Chatham Armoury.
Mike Genge, executive director of the CTCCK Foundation, said it was a memorable evening.
“We took people on a flight to every content on a 90-foot screen,” he said.
The flight began in Asia and landed in North America for the meal’s first course. That was followed by a trip to Europe for more food, and onto Antarctica, then on to Africa and South America for the main course.
Dessert arrived as the gala went to Australia.
Through it all, Genge said live entertainers performed, including dancers from the Cornell School of Irish Dance and the folklore dance group from the Portuguese Canadian Club.
“We had live entertainment going on while all this was taking place,” he said of the on-screen tour. “The entertainment was fabulous and it was all local.”
Genge said they sold about 150 tickets for the event and the auctions went very well.
“People were just really supporting the event and the kids,” he said. “We just have some of the most supportive people in Chatham-Kent. They’re great people.”
Genge described the event as the “best Gala ever.
“Everything just seemed to click. The auction clicked. Sponsors clicked,” he said. “We had incredible trips up for auction. There was a golf package to a private club; one of the most exclusive golf clubs in Canada. It was a really, really good night.”
The funds raised from the event will help fuel operations at the treatment centre.
“This money all goes towards programming that doesn’t get paid for by the government. That’s everything from our social work programs to the pool, to recreation, to music,” Genge said.
With the Butterfly Build effort – which raised funds for equipment and furnishings for the under-construction new treatment centre – complete, Genge said the immediate focus is on programming, and also building up an endowment fund.
“We need to be raising money and building an endowment eventually so we can pay for our operating expenses going into a new building,” he said.
