Thanks to the generosity of the community, the resident’s of Castor’s Paintearth Lodge have a lot to smile about.
The Paintearth Lodge Friendship Society hosted an online fundraising auction at the end of November.
According to Paintearth Lodge activity director Brenda Kneller, the online auction was done as a way to raise funds for some of the “frills” for the residents.
Normally a tea and bake sale is held in the fall as a fundraising activity, however with how hard the flu, noro-virus, and other illnesses have been hammering the community in recent weeks, it was decided to forgo the bake sale and look at alternatives as a way to keep the residents safe.
Donations from all over the community flooded in for the auction. There were flowers, fresh baking, dinner parties, and even a dash-cam all up for grabs.
In total, the Paintearth Lodge Friendship Society raised over $6,100 during the week-long virtual auction.
The funds are used for outings for the residents, as well as supplementing the “hit hard” dietary budget, according to Kneller.
Some of the “frills” the funds are used for are Chinese food once or twice a year, Kentucky Fried Chicken, fresh fruit, a bunch of different entertainment, alcohol for special occasions, munchies for bingo, and much more.
“We can’t thank the community enough,” said Kneller.
The friendship society usually hosts two-to-three fundraising activities in the year; one in the spring, one in June around Seniors’ Week, and the one in the fall, when possible. As well, raffles are run a couple times a year.
For those who are considering a move to the lodge, there are currently “quite a few vacancies,” according to Kneller.
According to Kneller, people interested in checking out the lodge are welcome to do so during public events or by arranging a tour and contacting manager Trudy Kilner at 403-882-3244.