Fundraising events for the 139 Children’s Fundraising Society are being scaled back this year due to the poor health of the society’s president Greg Ashley and an overall shortage of volunteers.
Ashley suffered a stroke last year and is not able to do the work he once did for the society.
Normally at this time of year 139 Children’s is preparing for a two-day auction and a one-day telethon to raise funds to help sick and disabled children in the region. The society assists families with the cost of travel and accommodation to access medical care in larger centres as well as with the cost of medical equipment.
This year, due to a lack of volunteers, the telethon has been canceled, but Ashley is happy to announce that Sharleen MacMurchy is picking up the reins to co-ordinate a scaled down one-day auction for the society.
The auction will be held at the Legion on Saturday, Feb. 5 from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. the next morning. People will be able to view the auction items on the Friday evening, Feb. 4.
Some fundraising activities for the society will also take place during the showing of the 45th Super Bowl game at the Legion on Sunday, Feb. 6.
MacMurchy has been a member of the Royal Purple and the Legion ladies auxiliary for many years. She has lived in the community since 1975. Her late husband George was a trainman for BC Rail who passed away in 1994. Their son Jason now lives in Kimberley.
MacMurchy says she retired in January and is busier than ever with her volunteer work.
For the past three years MacMurchy has volunteered with the 139 Children’s Fundraising Society in the capacity of helping to canvass businesses and the community for donations for the auction.
In other years she has had the help of Katimavik volunteers, but this year Katimavik doesn’t have a team in Williams Lake, so she has been canvassing the businesses on her own. She has finished canvasing businesses in most of the city and has help from a couple of other volunteers to canvass businesses on Mackenzie Avenue.
But MacMurchy says she will need more help in the next couple of weeks from people who are able to pick up the donated items from the businesses and deliver them to the 139 Children’s office in Consumer’s Carpet at 262 Third Ave. South.
She says helpers will also be needed to deliver the donations to the Legion and set up the displays for the auction.
Helpers will also be needed during the auction.
“I can use all the help I can get,” MacMurchy says.
People who have auction items to donate can drop them off at the society office or call the society at 250-392-6222 and someone will come and pick them up, MacMurchy says. Due to the hardship caused by forest fires and flooding in the Chilcotin last summer and fall, Ashley says the annual Anahim/Nimpo Lakes auction has also been cancelled this year.
But he says the Horsefly community is going ahead with their annual fundraising auction for the society on Saturday, Feb. 12.
Cindy Hoy is co-ordinating this event and can be reached at 250-620-3788.
The Tribune is also continuing to support the society with its annual Heartwarmers Valentine’s Day campaign.