ESTEVAN - Food, an auction and games helped raise funds Saturday for the Creighton Lodge Trust Committee.
A total of 350 people filled the Power Dodge Curling Centre on Saturday night for the benefit. According to lodge manager Shelly Veroba, the number of people present was a record for a lodge fundraiser, as was the final fiscal tally. It's believed approximately $60,000 was raised for the committee, which is looking to expand the lodge's kitchen.
"It all … came together smoothly, but mostly because we had such amazing volunteers," said Veroba. "Our trust committee is one of the hardest-working boards I've ever worked with. And everybody didn't stop until all of the work was done."
Veroba said they wanted to have 350 people this year. A few of the supporters who have come to past events opted to supply cash donations this year instead of attending.
James Trobert from the Creighton Lodge Trust Committee brought greetings, and then A Little Taste of Heaven Catering served the meal. They prepared roast beef and a chicken roma with garlic mashed potatoes, vegetables, salads and dessert.
A live auction took place after supper. Ten prizes were available, generating an estimated $20,450. Jason LeBlanc was the auctioneer.
Veroba noted that LeBlanc declared the first item a choice, so the successful bidder could pick the item that they wanted. Josh Biggs of Top Torq paid $4,000, and he opted for $2,500 in Southern Plains Co-op gift cards.
"Everything went above value, so it was really good to see people out there, supporting us and putting their hand up and having a great time, too. A lot of our prizes weren't the $10,000 or $15,000-type prizes, they were more in the $1,500-$3,000 range, so it opened up the playing field for a lot of different people to get in on the auction."
Then Richy and Preston Roy with Big Time Game Shows in Weyburn took to the stage with their Survey Says competition. Audience members submitted their names to participate, and if it was drawn, they would go on stage and try to guess the most common answers to a question. Answers often generated a lot of laughs.
"They came loaded with new questions," said Veroba. "They were recommended to us by Marnell Eagles, a trust committee member. She had seen them in the past, and so we went to the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course when they had them to check it out and we were impressed with them."
Several games of Survey Says were played.
Veroba noted that Estevan city councillors Lindsay Clark and Tony Sernick dressed up as Mounties and brought out the Survey Says trophy to the stage.
"They were both good sports and took the roles very seriously," said Veroba. "No prizes were won for playing the game; only the glory for taking home the trophy."
Numerous door prizes were also available during the evening. Sponsors donated items, and others made a donation that allowed the committee to purchase items from local businesses.
Suzanne Gibson, who is a home-care nurse in the community, won the 50-50 draw, which Veroba was happy to see because Gibson has spent years caring for the lodge residents.
Bee Line Taxi provided a safe ride home service for people who attended the event.
The money will go towards a kitchen expansion at the lodge. The facility is suitable for the current number of residents, but since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a growing number of people looking to eat in the dining room.
Individuals on the lodge's waiting list and seniors living in their own homes might need meals delivered to their homes, Veroba said, so the lodge wants to expand in the back and construct a hallway to attach the buildings.
Veroba noted the concept has been tried elsewhere, and has worked out well, and she is confident it would allow the lodge to meet the needs of residents and of seniors in the community.
