The West Parry Sound Recreation and Cultural Centre fundraising campaign officially launched on Wednesday, April 12 with a social event hosted by the fundraising committee at the Best Western in Parry Sound. Municipal leaders, volunteers, and early supporters of the project gathered to celebrate the launch and discuss next steps.
Seguin Township Mayor Ann MacDiarmid, co-chair of the project’s volunteer fundraising committee, thanked those gathered and introduced Judy Haber, who is the fundraising and naming rights consultant for the West Parry Sound Recreation and Cultural Centre. Haber is the founder of Performance Sponsorship Group (PSG). The organization has spearheaded the naming of several recreation and cultural community centres across the country, including the Muskoka Lumber Community Centre in Bracebridge.
Haber will be visible and active in the West Parry Sound community as the campaign works to raise at least $2 million in support by September 2023 in a combination of financial and in-kind donations. Her overall goal is $5 million in capital funding to offset construction costs. Another $5 million will be raised for ongoing endowment fund to assist with operating funding in early years.
The kick-off event raised $37,200 in donations with a lead donation of $25,000 from Parry Sound Rotary Club. Rotary representatives challenged other local organizations to match their contribution.
The West Parry Sound Recreation and Cultural Centre Board met shortly after the celebratory event. They were presented with an overview of PSG’s plans. Haber expressed her enthusiasm for the community project and the journey ahead.
“We’re very excited to start working,” she told the group. “There will be opportunities for everyone to participate, whether it’s by becoming a donor and having recognition on our donor wall, or buying a t-shirt, or naming rights for a dressing room…what I do want to stress to the community at large is that there’s a place for everyone in this building. This is a landmark; we’ve been talking about this for years. The time has come.”
Hello everyone.. I have a suggestion for fund raising.. Why not have a weekly bingo and use the Knights of Columbus hall and their bingo equipment. I know that years ago the Parry Sound Junior Curlers ran the bingo game in the summer months and raised alot of money.. Seeing that the Knights of Columbus are not going to have weekly bingo games in the summer why not use that and then continue after the summer with weekly bingo games on perhaps Thurs or Fri nights. they draw in a lot of people who love to play bingo.. Just an idea but I hope you do follow through …
Thank you for this suggestion! It will be shared with the Fundraising Committee.