Donations down
Easter Seals campaign is short of previous years.
The annual Easter Seals fundraising campaign has raised more than $100,000 for children living with physical and mental disabilities on P.E.I., but the final total is significantly short of previous years.
The annual campaign wrapup was part of the Rotary Club of Charlottetown’s regular luncheon meeting held recently at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel where the grand total of$111,808.4 was announced.
“Those funds will be distributed across P.E.I. and will be used by a number of organizations and Rotary clubs in helping people with disabilities right across our province.” Maurice Rodgerson
That compares to roughly $155,000 last year, a drop of 27 percent.
The Guardian attempted to contact representatives of this year’s Easter Seals campaign after the announcement to inquire about the drop but was unsuccessful in making contact.
“Those funds will be distributed across P.E.I. and will be used by a number of organizations and Rotary clubs in helping people with disabilities right across our province,” said this year’s campaign co-chair Maurice (Moe) Rodgerson at the luncheon.
Edna Reid was the other cochair for this years’s campaign which began March 2.
The funds help organizations like the P.E.I. Cerebral Palsy Association, Camp Gencheff, and Joy Riders, to name just a few.
The campaign is run by the Rotary clubs of Charlottetown, Summerside and Montague.
“We had a fantastic year,” said Rick Gallant, president of the Charlottetown Rotary Club. “We had a lot of fun.”
There was high praise for the 2015 Easter Seals ambassador Jacob MacNeill.
“He danced, he played the drums, he sang and he delivered an extremely powerful message to the people of Prince Edward Island about being yourself and about the fact that really we are all different, ”said Rodgerson.
“We would like to thank Jacob and his family for putting in all of their efforts this year,” said Gallant.
I had super fun, said MacNeill, in his address to conclude the 2015 campaign.
“We went to 65 schools where I got to speak and dance. We met super nice people. Be yourself,” he said and added that “everyone is gifted. Thank you.”
Lisa Weatherhead, regional executive director of Atlantic Canada for Cystic Fibrosis Canada was at the wrap up luncheon and told how funds raised by Easter Seals go to work for the local branch.
There is no cure for CF but the organization is hopeful that research it helps fund is very close to finding an effective control for the genetic condition, she said.
There are about 20 people on P.E.I. currently being treated for CF, said Weatherhead.
The foundation helps with some travel costs for treatments in Halifax for many of them, she said.
Another component is lobby and education.
Nationally there is work to have every baby tested for CF as part of the usual newborn screening process.
“On P.E.I. it’s been approved and should be activated in the not-to-distant future,” said Weatherhead.