The annual Niverville Heritage Centre (NHC) fundraising gala is just around the corner and organizers are asking for everyone’s support to make this year’s event the best one yet.
The November 4 gala promises not to disappoint. Event attendees will be wining and dining on prime rib with all the fixings, created by the NHC’s Red Seal chef.
This year’s featured guest and keynote speaker will be John Olfert, chief operating officer of True North Sports and Entertainment (TNSE), which owns the Winnipeg Jets. Olfert’s legacy with TNSE began in 2001. He was instrumental in acquiring the Jets and opening the Canada Life Centre and Hockey for All.
When it comes to choosing guest speakers, says Ron Parent, executive director of the NHC, he says his team looks for someone with notoriety who holds a prominent place in the community.
Olfert met all those criteria.
“I think building a hockey franchise, the ups and downs of winning, losing, and the trading season is no different from [our] campus from when it was dreamed of 20 years ago to today,” says Parent.
Of course, he adds, with Niverville becoming an MJHL community in recent years, the interest in sports, especially hockey, is only growing.
Keeping to this year’s sports theme, gala guests will be able to participate in a prize auction which includes items such as Jets game tickets and jerseys, all donated by TNSE.
A third fundraising opportunity has been added this year by way of a 50/50 draw. Already underway, the pot was at $500 at the time of this writing. This draw provides opportunity for everyone to get involved, not just gala attendees.
But there are other good reasons to get involved, apart from good food, entertainment, and prizes. The event gives everyone a chance to invest in community building efforts, specifically in terms of our region’s seniormost residents.
“Ultimately, it’s about giving to the Heritage Centre, which gives back to your friends, family, and neighbours,” Parent says. “It’s basically family caring for family by providing support for those who have given us so much: our grandparents, our parents, and spouses in some cases.”
Two facilities within the NHC campus will benefit from funds raised at this year’s gala. The assisted living facility called the Niverville Credit Union Manor will see its roof project completed this year. The replacement began last year thanks to 2023 gala donations.
Residents of the Heritage Life Personal Care Home (HLPCH) will be the other beneficiaries.
One of the highest priorities items on Parent’s list is a virtual interactive projection device that uses a wall or tabletop for a screen.
“[Instead] of using a remote, the residents, with their hands, can interact with the games,” Parent says. “So they can catch fish, moves pieces of a chess or checkers board, or do a crossword. Think of the old Nintendo Wii but on steroids.”
As well, Parent says the lighting in the HLPCH gathering room is in need of an important upgrade.
“It’s a large room with a very high cathedral ceiling,” says Parent. “What we’ve come to realize is the lighting is on the lower end for meeting the residents’ needs. As you age, and with certain ailments like dementia or diabetes, residents develop poor eyesight, macular degeneration, cataracts, and things of that nature. So our seniors need double the amount of light than you or I would.”
Expansions to the showers in the spa room and the freezer and fridge in the commercial kitchen are also high on the list.
This year’s fundraising goal is $181,000. Parent acknowledges it’s a lofty goal, but he believes in setting his sights high. Last year’s gala raised just over $90,000.
“Whatever we get, we appreciate,” says Parent. “Even if we get $20,000, it’s $20,000 that will make an impact on the campus and those who live within it.”
Tickets are currently available on the NHC website. Individual tickets can be purchased for $200 or a table for 8 people for $1600.
Tax receipts are available through the Niverville Foundation.
