After another sold out show, hosted by the ever-funny Lisel Forst, with songs that hit notes high above the rafters, the performers received a much-deserved standing ovation for another great performance at this year’s Room to Live Benefit Concert. Nelson CARES Society extends heartfelt thanks to everyone involved with the concert.
“The audience not only raised to their feet at the end of the show, they also helped us raise over $15,000 towards our matching donation fund,” said campaign co-ordinator Lisa McGeady. “We had 100 items donated for our silent auction from local artists and businesses. We really want to thank them for helping us reach for our goal through their generosity of goods and services. We are very fortunate that our local business owners do a lot to support events and organizations in our community, especially when they are asked for donations, sometimes daily in a season.”
At the start of the show, McGeady was joined on stage by Sante Pulice, division manager for Interoute Construction Ltd., to announce a donation of $15,000.
“This generous donation is the equivalent of completely upgrading one room at Ward Street Place. Interoute’s donation was also the first to be put towards the matching donation fund, which means it will be doubled,” McGeady said. “Their $15,000 has become $30,000, which means two rooms instead of one will be renovated.”
One of the goals of this benefit concert is to bring the community together to raise awareness and help support affordable housing in Nelson.
“The community is really getting behind this campaign and helping us take advantage of the matching fund donation,” said Ron Little, chair of the Nelson CARES board.
“The $15,000 raised at the benefit concert will become two renovated rooms at Ward Street Place, thanks to the matching donation. So far, we have raised $35,000 towards the matching donation fund, which doubled is $70,000. Thank you to everyone who has contributed and if you are considering making a donation, please note that we have until the end of February to raise a total of $50,000, which would then become $100,000.”
‘Tis the season of giving and big or small, every dollar you donate will get doubled thanks to an anonymous donor, who is matching donations up to a total of $50,000.
To donate go to roomtolive.ca. Donations can also be made in person at Nelson CARES Society.
The next event for the Room to Live campaign is the Coldest Night of the Year walk on Feb. 20.
Ward Street Place is a 102-year-old building and one of the only low income housing blocks in the region. It is home to people living in poverty and those who have escaped homelessness. Nelson CARES receives no public funding to operate the building and it serves the region’s most vulnerable citizens.