Organizers have announced details of the third annual Spring Fling fundraiser for the community.
During a news conference and rollout at Mountain View Publishing on March 16, organizing committee co-chair Tracy Gardner announced this year's event will take place April 20 at the Cow Palace.
The three charities/non-profit groups benefiting from this year's Spring Fling are Padnoma Support Services, the Olds High School or OHS leadership group and Habitat For Humanity - Mountain View chapter.
Co-chair Hugh Bodmer says the event begins at 5 p.m. with cocktails, followed by supper, then a program.
"It should be over by 8, 8:30 tops," he said in an interview.
Gardner said there's a "twist" on this year's event.
For one thing, as noted above, there's a meal this year.
The three charities will each get five minutes to pitch their projects to guests who pay $100 a ticket to attend. The three charities/non-profits will get 100 per cent of the proceeds. Guests will vote for the people's choice - the winner, per se - which will get $5,000. Runners-up will each receive $2,500.
During an interview with the Albertan, Gardner said organizers guarantee the three groups will get that money - no matter how many tickets are sold.
"We guarantee the sales of whatever tickets we have sold. And we are very confident that we'll sell a minimum of 100 tickets," she said, adding that if more than 100 are sold, the three beneficiaries will each receive more money.
Another twist this year is that Canadian Olympic female wrestler and former Olds resident Danielle Lappage will be there to speak to the crowd and mingle with guests.
"Danielle is just going to talk about her inspiring journey and what that has meant to her and what her community means to her," Gardner said.
"And I think that there's going to be a very loose tie-in to being invested in your community - whatever that is; if it's volunteer capacity or philanthropy -- it is all about being focused on community, community spirit and community development."
Gardner said expenses for the production of Spring Fling are covered by the Kiwanis Club of Olds, Rotary Club of Olds, Olds Institute, local news media, Olds Regional Exhibition and Westview Co-op.
"We're committed to have Spring Fling be an ongoing community event because you guys inspire us, and that's a pretty cool thing," Gardner told representatives of the three non-profit groups.
"We're committed to have Spring Fling be an ongoing community event because you guys inspire us, and that's a pretty cool thing."TRACY GARDNER CO-CHAIR SPRING FLING ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
