The Chemainus Health Care Auxiliary continues to donate funds in unprecedented amounts through its enormously-successful Thrift Shop.
It was another banner year in 2017, with $207,000 donated to charitable causes.
“It goes back to the fact the people in Chemainus are so supportive,” said Auxiliary president Joan Kerr. “It’s just an amazing, amazing community.”
The current year is off to a fast start, with the Auxiliary already providing its $10,000 yearly contribution to the Variety Club.
This is the eighth year of considerable funds being directed to Variety. The total amount given was $5,000 the first three years, bumped up to $10,000 during the last five.
Chemainus did not send any representatives this time to the Variety Club Telethon in Vancouver to make the cheque presentation live on Global TV like it had done the previous two years.
“They changed the way they are doing things,” explained Kerr.
It was also a very full agenda for volunteers to make the trip over to the Mainland and back the same day.
“We got the impression we weren’t really needed to go over there,” Kerr noted.
However, a Variety publicity person is coming over from the Mainland to attend the Auxiliary’s upcoming general meeting on March 14 to acknowledge the donation and how much it means to the organization.
“She wanted to come to Chemaimus to personally thank them for their hard work,” Kerr indicated.
At the same time, “our ladies want to know we’re doing good for kids on Vancouver Island,” she added.
The Auxiliary has indeed been assured that’s the case, with enormous benefits for Vancouver Island children.
The ladies are looking forward to hearing the presentation. Variety stresses the commitment to the cause from Chemainus is huge and Kerr turns it back to the town for praise.
“It just blows me away how much money is raised within this community,” she marvelled. “It makes you proud to be a part of the town of Chemainus.”