By Kirk Starratt
NovaNewsNow.com
Community support in all its forms goes a long way when it comes to making a charitable fundraiser like the Twelve Wreaths of Christmas a success.
Campaign for Kids chairwoman Ann Marsters said money brought in through the event would go a long way to help disadvantaged children in Kings County.
In the past year, Campaign for Kids has supported the Principal’s Fund, which can provide money to principals to help kids in need in Kings County schools.
“Every elementary school and middle school has the opportunity to apply for money,” Marsters said.
The organization has also donated funding to assist Chrysalis House with special projects and to the Acadia University SMILE program this year. They provide two small bursaries to every high school in Kings annually.
When it comes to fundraising, community and corporate support is of the utmost importance. Campaign for Kids was selected again this year by Payless Shoes as the recipient of 50 gift certificates for children in need of footwear, which will be distributed through local elementary schools. The charity has purchased additional gift certificates for shoes for disadvantaged kids this year as well.
Another boost came from staff at the Kentville Scotiabank branch, which just donated $5,000 they raised to Campaign for Kids.
Kings Physiotherapy Clinic also partners with Campaign for Kids. Owner and director Shelley Fleckenstein is on the Campaign for Kids board and, once again, hosted the charity’s Twelve Wreaths of Christmas fundraiser Dec. 16 at Acadia University’s K.C. Irving Centre in Wolfville.
The fundraiser, held in conjunction with Kings Physiotherapy Clinic’s annual holiday gala, involves 12 uniquely-decorated wreaths donated by local businesses and organizations invited to participate. They were auctioned off through a silent auction held during the holiday social, which also featured a concert by Symphony Nova Scotia’s principal flautist, Patty Creighton, and Peter Allen, concert pianist and professor of piano at Dalhousie University.
Marsters said all the businesses and organizations donating wreaths are invited to the event and this is a key element to its success.
Fleckenstein said they’ve always been community-minded at the clinic. They embrace charitable causes relevant to their practice, especially those involving youth.
“There’s such apparent need in our community,” Fleckenstein said.
She said they invite various friends of Kings Physiotherapy Clinic, other members of the local medical community and area employers to the annual holiday social. Close to $2,000 was raised through the wreath auction last year and the Dec. 16 event brought in over $1,000.
Campaign for Kids is a non-profit registered charity operating in Kentville for 30 years. It was established by Family and Children Services of Kings County to address the overwhelming number of requests for assistance from families in crisis.
To find out if you’re eligible to access funds from Campaign for Kids, email info@campaignforkids.com.
