For an event that has a relatively short history, it has ballooned into a tremendously popular and successful fundraising initiative for such a small community.
The third annual Bashaw Minor Hockey Association (BMHA) comedy night fundraising event drew a near capacity crowd to the Bashaw Community Centre April 14 and wound up with a huge amount — over $10,000. That brings the overall total raised by since the event began to slightly more than $26,500.
“I accredit the success of our event to the community and surrounding communities and all those that keep coming back year after year for a great time, stated BMHA fundraising director Taryn Sinclair.
“Without donations and sponsorships, this event would not have made it past the first year. Bashaw Minor Hockey also expects each family to sell 4 tickets as part of their fundraising efforts.”
And that support this year was massive, as 55 sponsors participated including local and area businesses, families, a Red Deer radio station and the Edmonton Oilers Foundation.
Sinclair added the sponsorship is vitally important as it provides the majority of the items up for grabs during the event, which included around 50 items in the silent auction and 21 Sports Memorabilia auction items.
Helping the cause was this year’s line up that included Mike Dambra — who was back for his third year, acted as the host for the night and took his usual pokes at the crowd that drew tons of laughs — as well as Edmonton’s Shawn Gramiak, who garnered a bunch of laughter with his ‘hair raising’ jokes. The headliner, Colin Hollett, flew in from his home in Newfoundland and had the audience in stitches with his unique humour and a ‘strange but true’ adventure of being chased by a guy with a knife when he got to Alberta.
While the fundraiser was to support local hockey, Sinclair said the tragic bus crash and loss of 16 lives earlier this month were on the minds of everyone.
“Our board had numerous talks about the Humboldt Broncos the week leading up to our event. We all wanted to do something,” she explained.
“Secretary Joni Bjorge came across a letter that stated the families of the Humboldt Broncos would love to see donations put towards STARS Air Ambulance. Without STARS, there could have been more fatalities from the bus crash and knowing that STARS has helped in our community and surrounding area, it just felt like the right option.”
The BMHA will be sending a donation of $563 to STARS as a result.
Also, the BMHA will be making a pair of local donations.
“We will be donating some of the funds raised back into our community as a thank you to both the Bashaw Fire Department, for doing another amazing job behind the bar, and to the Breakfast for Learning Program, for helping in the kitchen and getting the meal served,” Sinclair noted.
“Next year, BMHA is looking at possibly bringing in a different form of entertainment. I always like to say it can only get better each year.”
*note: story was updated to better reflect the amount raised.
