Cranbrook Stay At Home Gala Raises Over $9,000 for Local Non-Profits on the Front Lines of COVID-19

On Saturday May 2^nd, Cranbrook’s Stay At Home Gala joined 22 communities across Canada, raising funds to support local non-profits on the front lines of COVID-19.

The local virtual event, hosted by the Community Foundation of the Kootenay Rockies, welcomed approximately eighty guests and raised $9,303.05 to support local non-profits. Across the country, 1,970 households tuned into the national gala, raising a total of over $560,000.

Carol Hatala, lead volunteer on the local organizing committee and Community Foundation Board Vice-President, said, “We pulled this event together in only two weeks, and the support from the community was amazing.”

“We would like to share our heartfelt appreciation with our local sponsor, Applied Compression Systems, local supporters, Cranbrook Save-On-More Foods, VAST Resource Solutions, and Real Canadian SuperStore, and our in-kind supporters, e-Know, The Drive, B-104, The Townsman, and Genex Marketing. We would also like to thank the individuals and businesses who generously donated to our online silent auction. Special thanks to everyone who bought a ticket to the event, made a donation, and bid on a silent auction item,” Hatala added.

Keith Larsen opened the Cranbrook event with a half-hour of guitar and song, with a bit of harmonica thrown in for good measure.

Next, the national gala, welcomed inspiration from Canadians like hockey-great Hayley Wickenheiser, the iconic Body Break duo Hal and Joanne Johnson, and musical fan-favourites The Hunter Brothers and Once a Tree (with the latter joining from Creston!).

Last but definitely not least, the Cranbrook event finished with a one-hour local broadcast, including a cocktail lesson from Luc at The Heid-Out, inspiring words from Community Foundation Board President Michele Bates and Major Ginny Kristensen from the Cranbrook Salvation Army, local musical duo The Confluentials, and home-grown comedian, Sarah Stupar. Master of Ceremonies, Mike Donaldson from B-104 and The Drive kept things moving along, including shout-outs to the event sponsors and reminders to participate in the silent auction.

Michele Bates, Community Foundation Board President, said “We saw this as a fantastic opportunity to bring an online social gathering to our community while also raising funds to support the non-profits in our community that are working so hard during this crisis.”

“Once the event has been fully wrapped up, the Board of the Community Foundation will disburse these funds to local non-profits as soon as possible,” stated Bates.