Charity Auction raises $8,500
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Rankin Inlet (Oct 30/00) - The second annual Kataujaq Society Charity Auction was a success in Rankin Inlet earlier this month.
The society runs the only safe-shelter in the Kivalliq Region among its other services.
Society president Rick Mann called this year's event a real team effort.
"Everyone on the board of directors was involved, we had kids from the day care draw up posters and some items were donated by safe-shelter staff," says Mann.
"It was an all encompassing event, which was really nice."
The auction portion of the day's fund-raising activities outperformed last year's event, although raffle sales weren't as successful.
In total, more than $8,500 was raised and Mann says the event was something the society can build on for future fund-raisers.
The auction and raffle is the largest fund-raiser of the year for the Kataujaq Society.
"We're heavily subsidized by the government and run by a volunteer board, so we don't get a lot of chances to do fund-raising.
"This is our one big one of the year we build up to."
Mann says the event has been well-received by the corporate community, with the number of items up for auction increasing to 42 from the 31 donated last year.
"We're still getting calls from people who would have donated items had they known in time.
"Everyone's always eager to help out."
Mann says the community appears to look at the event as more of a social event than an auction.
He says that will be the focus of next year's event.
"We're still developing this and learning as we go.
"The public response has been excellent and we've received a lot of positive comments.
"Almost everyone at the auction said although they were there to bid, they were mainly there to help out the society."
