TISDALE — Throughout the past several months leading to TeleMiracle, the Tisdale Kinsmen and Kinettes raised $15,231.
Jessica Steadman, Tisdale Kinettes' TeleMiracle 46 director, said they’re pleased with the total. The Kin clubs never had a goal going in, with the final amount ranging in previous years from around $10,000 to $30,000.
“We really just go year to year and aim for the best that we can, it’s been a whole range each year. We didn’t hold any big expectations this year because we know businesses and community have had a few tough years.”
The TeleMiracle Foundation provides specialized mobility and medical equipment to people and organizations throughout the province, as well as travel assistance for residents in need of medical treatment outside their community.
Each year the fundraising efforts culminate in a 20-hour telethon with entertainment. TeleMiracle 46 was held on March 6, raising a record breaking total of more than $8 million.
Some of the fundraisers the Tisdale Kin clubs put on included Santa pictures at the craft sale, meals for miracles where they delivered meals, the Kinsmen steak dinner, Kinettes pancake breakfast, and a new project – surprise Santa.
Similar to the previous year where a toilet was moved around town onto various residents’ lawns for a “toilet drop”, giving the ability for the resident to donate and send it to someone else’s, this year the Kin clubs moved around a short, chubby and red cheeked Santa Claus, who Steadman called a “cutie.”
“It was nice to get him and you wanted to pay to move him to somewhere else so someone else is getting joy from it,” she said. “We just felt that was something we needed to do this year. It’s been a challenging couple years and we felt trying to spread some joy and putting smiles on people’s faces are an important part in what we were doing.”
The pancake breakfast remains one of the largest fundraisers for the Kinettes, bringing in just over $1,000. For the Kinsmen, it was the stake supper raising over $1,700 towards the total.
The Tisdale Elementary School raised $2,247 and Tisdale Middle and Secondary School raised $847.
The elementary school’s fundraising was through Helping Hands, in-school bingo and a hat day where students could donate to wear a hat for the day. For TMSS, fundraisers included Helping Hands, cookie and popcorn sales, and a staff dress down day where staff could donate to wear casual clothing for the day.
This coming year, Steadman said people will see a lot of the same fundraisers, with the surprise Santa likely to return after receiving a warm reception.
“Every year we just want to say a big thank you to all the businesses and individuals that support us with all of our TeleMiracle fundraisers and with all of the other fundraisers that the Kinettes and Kinsmen do.”
