The organization tasked with raising money for the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent is rebranding its major events to focus on what matters most — the kids.
The Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation has redesigned all of its fundraising activities to ensure the focus is on families and their children who utilize the programs at the treatment centre.
“There’s a lot of kids in the community that need us and that need local fundraising support… we’re trying to focus on bringing this down so that everyone attending knows exactly why they’re there,” said Mike Grail, chair of the CTC Foundation Board of Directors. “So when they buy a ticket, they know they’re making a contribution right away.”
After more than two decades, the foundation will no longer host the Festival of Giving and will instead hold a new fundraiser called The Gala for the Kids on April 1. Tickets to the charity dinner will cost $750 and will include a $400 tax donation receipt. The foundation will be handing off the Festival of Giving to a new community team that will continue the event for another charitable cause.
“I think we felt that the foundation had run its course with the festival. It’s been a wonderful vehicle for us to be able to showcase the foundation, bring awareness, and to be able to raise funds,” said Grail. “We just want to move that and focus more on the donors and the people that want to take care of the kids.”
Later this year, the CTC will also be hosting a fun 5 km run through Rondeau Provincial Park called The Run for the Kids. The fundraiser will be held on June 25 and will also include entertainment.
The foundation’s Festival of Golf fundraiser will also shift to Golf for the Kids, which will be held on September 8.
All of the proceeds raised at these events will continue to support specialized equipment, healthcare services, mental health services, therapeutic recreation, music therapy, pool programs and other critical services not covered by government funding.
According to the foundation, one in five children in Chatham-Kent utilizes the programs and services at the treatment centre.
“We’re going to continue to build our foundation, we’re going to continue to help the kids of Chatham-Kent that need it most,” said Grail. “There’s just a tremendous need and we need to raise as much money as we can.”
