Fundraising: Bathurst Ideal Centre to benefit from proceeds

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Peter Assaff
Northern Light Staff

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BATHURST - Gilles Deveaux is excited to see how this weekend's Rotary Radio Auction stacks up.

Deveaux, who is once again chairing the annual event, says donations are up this year.

"We've got close to $20,000 worth of items this year," he said from his office last week. "That is actually more than we had last year."

This Sunday will mark the seventh straight year that the Bathurst Rotary Club has held a radio auction to raise funds for community projects. Deveaux said more than $75,000 has been raised through the first six years of the event.

"Last year's auction raised more than $10,000," he pointed out. "We hope to be able to do more than that again this year."

This year's auction broadcasts on MAX 104.9 FM from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 15, with a list of the items up for bids available in this paper. Those items have been donated by local businesses, who were contacted by members of the Bathurst Rotary Club over the past month.

"From the comments I've heard from our members, businesses have been very receptive this year," said Deveaux.

"We've got a lot of returning businesses that always give every, but this year we've expanded the list so we've got some new stuff from businesses who didn't donate before. I tried to expand the list a bit this year, and go get some businesses that we didn't have before, and its worked."

The list of what's available to on bid has no shortage of variety.

"We have a lot of gift certificates this year, which are always popular," said Deveaux. "The Coffee Stain is back this year with a breakfast every week for a year, we've got a car starter and installation from City Glass and a weekend at the Hotel Paulin in Caraquet, including supper, that is a $600 value. There are lots of different items this year, and everyone should be able to find something they'll want to bid on."

Over the years, proceeds from the Rotary Radio Auction have been used to help local Rotary initiatives like the Rotary Children's Playground in Coronation Park and the 2007 Special Olympic Winter Games. This year the service group has chosen the Bathurst Ideal Centre to benefit from their auction.

The Ideal Centre is a community outreach centre dealing with mental health issues.

"They were looking for some funds and we thought this would be a great way to help them out," said Deveaux. "Last year it was for the park and other Rotary initiatives.

"This year a part of it will go to the Ideal Centre and a part is going to stay for Rotary initiatives."

Other than a change in where the money is going this year, Deveaux said the auction will be run basically the same as it has been in each of the first six years, with local Rotarians manning the phone lines throughout the afternoon.

"It's a formula that works, so why change it?," he concluded.