Journal Pioneer

$38,000 success

Christophe­r Cross Requests’ raises over $38,000, 1,100 videos uploaded

- BY ERIC MCCARTHY

Although the office Christophe­r Cross Requests campaign has come to a close, support for the Beaton family continues. To thank fundraiser organizers, Kim Beaton and her daughter Jayden, presented a gift to Kelly and Malcolm Pitre to show their gratitude.

Nearly a week after the requests portion of the Christophe­r Cross Requests Facebook group concluded, Kim Beaton remains in awe with the success of the online fundraiser in support of her family. Malcolm and Kelly Pitre launched the group on Feb. 18 in aid of Kim and Gary Beaton and their 12-year-old daughter, Jayden.

Beaton is 11 months into a year-long schedule of chemothera­py treatments after being diagnosed with breast cancer last March, and her husband is currently hospitaliz­ed and awaiting manor placement three years after having to give up his manor job because of early onset dementia.

So far, the fundraiser has raked in $38,850 for the Beatons. Recently an appreciati­on night was held at Route 145 Bar and Grill in Bloomfield hosted for the contributo­rs, performers and the founders of the popular Facebook group that now has nearly 13,800 followers. Donations continue to flow as some contributo­rs have honoured their request pledges by dropping off or mailing donations.

The success and popularity of Christophe­r Cross Requests (CCR) has already led to the creation of at least three similar online fundraiser­s: Big Johns Jamboree Online Benefit in support of John (Big John) A’Hearn who has Cirrhosis of the liver and has been unable to work since last July, Wellington and Area Requests in support of getting a wheelchair accessible van for five-year-old Kiptyn Collicutt and East End Girl Requests in support of Amber Jadis, who was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer.

From the long list of performers who provided approximat­ely 1,100 music videos to the CCR page, more than a dozen of them provided live entertainm­ent during the Friday night event.

“It’s overwhelmi­ng. it’s exciting,” Beaton commented.

“It’s amazing for that big of an amount to come in (in 22 days).” “It’s going to help me and Jayden. Living by ourselves, it will take a burden off of us.

Gary is in the Charlottet­own hospital right now so I’m doing a lot of travelling down there to see him.” She had to take last year off from work due to her treatments and she doesn’t know whether she will have recovered enough to return to work this year once her treatments are done.

Beaton extended thanks to the musicians, the donors and the Pitres for their support. “Malcolm and Kelly are amazing people. They’re generous, to give up all their time.”

There has also been an outpouring of emotional support. “There was a lot of ‘Praying for the Beatons’ and ‘God Bless you’ and ‘Keep strong,’” she said in describing messages on the CCR page.

“It means a lot to know there are so many people who are praying and cares about our family.”

Kelly Pitre also used the word amazing to describe the page’s popularity.

She said she keeps the page open playing the videos as if it were the radio.

Pitre said her husband regularly comes up with creative ways to help out with benefits, but she said being the centre of attention at the appreciati­on night was “very much out of (Malcolm’s) comfort zone.” Remarkably, “out of my comfort zone,” was a remark many performers made when posting videos, but they said they did so because of the great cause.

The Tignish Legion also has a party in the works to celebrate the success of CCR. Donors and performers are invited to the April 6 event.

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 ?? ERIC MCCARTHY/JOURNAL PIONEER ?? Kim Beaton, second left, and her daughter Jayden present Malcolm and Kelly Pitre with “thank you” gifts during an appreciati­on night recently at Route 145 Bar and Grill in Bloomfield.
ERIC MCCARTHY/JOURNAL PIONEER Kim Beaton, second left, and her daughter Jayden present Malcolm and Kelly Pitre with “thank you” gifts during an appreciati­on night recently at Route 145 Bar and Grill in Bloomfield.

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