Message from Kyle Shaen
Chair, Board of Directors, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation
 |
What a winter! Even by our standards, it’s been a harsh one. I think that’s why we are all so excited that spring is just around the corner.
Spring is also when the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation social event season gets busier. Earlier this month, the Foundation hosted our annual The Co-Operators Bachelors for Hope Charity Auction – and it was another banner year raising $90,236 for breast cancer. I would like to thank all the volunteers that came out to support what has become Thunder Bay’s fun night out every year!
The Taco Time Fundraiser for the Northern Cardiac Fund also wrapped up recently. This event is a great example of the generosity of our local businesses. For a four-week period in March and April, Taco Time matched all in-store donations at its Memorial Ave. and Arthur St. locations, raising approximately $10,000 for cardiac care.
A new Health Sciences Foundation event this year is the Vanderwees Mini Golf Tournament in support of the Northern Cardiac Fund, to be held on Thursday, May 23, 2019 at 4pm at Vanderwees Garden Gallery. It’s perfect for all those non-golfers out there who miss out on the fun of golfing events. Anyone can mini-putt! You can sign up a team of four or enter individually. Contact Moira Byrne for more information and tickets: byrnem@tbh.net or (807) 684-7003. There will be prizes and silent auctions and other side events, just like a golf tourney. The idea is to come out and have fun.
That’s why I think of these events as social gatherings, not just fundraisers. Another new event this year illustrates that perfectly. The Thunder Bay Wine Experience is bringing in a top-tiered wine broker to do a wine tasting for 100 people in May (sorry – tickets are already sold out). As cool as this event is already, there’s special meaning for me, when it raises money, as this one does, in support of the Northern Cardiac Fund.
I’m humbled by the amount of effort put into creating a Health Sciences Foundation event. Volunteers like Wayne Maunula, the driving force behind the Thunder Bay Wine Experience, take so much time to create and host these events. Their dedication ensures Thunder Bay continually has fun and exciting social events, and all for a good cause.
Find out about our other social fundraiser events coming up at: healthsciencesfoundation.ca/events