AWARDS SHOW GOES ON
Prairie Sky Chamber of Commerce's Jaimie Malmgrem is pleased with ticket sales to the group's gala, which like many organizations' fundraisers, is being held virtually.
Despite being forced to go virtual due to COVID-19 public health guidelines restricting the number of people allowed to gather indoors, some fundraising and recognition events have found some success.
Every May, the Prairie Sky Chamber of Commerce hosts the Warman and Martensville Business Excellence Awards ( WMBEXA), a gala that's also a chamber fundraiser.
It was postponed due to the lockdown in spring.
“Initially, we didn't even know if we could do anything,” said Jaimie Malmgrem, executive director of the chamber.
“And it wasn't until we started getting feedback from local businesses, expressing how important it was to continue to have this WMBEXA gala in some sort of format, we knew we needed to have it,” she added.
The chamber's signature event raises 20 to 30 per cent of its operating budget.
Malmgrem said money raised this year will be down about 10 per cent, but 283 at-home party tickets were sold, compared with 300 to 375 in-person, so she is pleased with the turnout.
Tickets start with access to the virtual awards and a party gift, and can include an appetizer platter, dessert, an edible centrepiece and wine.
“Our sponsors were really co-operative and willing to adjust what they were originally sponsoring,” Malmgrem said.
Other organizations have also had to adjust. This year's Saskatoon AIDS Walk was not held in-person; participants gathered pledges and were asked to walk whenever it worked for them.
Despite the change, the organization raised potentially the most money of any AIDS Walk in Canada — $72,000, which is more than Toronto usually raises. The proceeds support Outsaskatoon and Prairie Harm Reduction's safe injection site.
Saskatoon B'nai Brith is unable to hold its usual gala dinner, but has funding commitments to various groups in the city over the next three years, such as Kids of Note, Kidsport, Nutrien Wonderhub and other charities.
“We are living through a very challenging time and many people are depending on the support of organizations like the Saskatoon B'nai Brith to survive,” member Ron Gitlin said. “As a club, we have decided not to let these circumstances prevent us from continuing to serve and support the Saskatoon community.”
The program that would normally take place at the dinner will be virtual and will include a “Super Silver Plate Draw,” with only 500 tickets available at $200 each. There will be a $10,000 prize, a $1,000 prize and multiple $200 prizes, plus an online silent auction.
Even though fundraising and recognition events like these look different this year, Malmgrem said they are more important than ever — not just to raise money, but for everyone's morale.
“It's been a very tough seven months for businesses. If we can still celebrate everything we've overcome in the last seven months, let's do that.”
We have decided not to let these circumstances prevent us from continuing to serve and support the ... community.