Fraser Canyon Hospital receives $19,000
silent auction and raffle. The Fraser Hope Lodge and the Fraser Canyon Hospital Auxiliary were able to bring the silent auction back to Hope despite a fierce windstorm and an untimely power outage.
The silent auction and raffle made their triumphant return on Sunday (Nov. 6) after a two-year hiatus because of COVID-19 and raised nearly $19,000 for the Fraser Canyon Hospital. The auction was forced to be rescheduled from Saturday (Nov. 5) to 2 p.m. the following day at the Royal Canadian Legion Hall due to an unexpected power outage.
According to Nancy Hutsul, an Auxiliary member and one of the event's organizers, "It was a lot of fun." The absence of light. On Saturday, a small group of us went to the Legion Hall without power to conduct the raffle draw using headlamps, lanterns, and a large drum filled with raffle tickets. After that, we made some cool phone calls to people in the dark, like the raffle winner from Boston Bar.
Hutsul asserts that the Auxiliary was legally required to conduct the draw that evening at 9 p.m. by the terms of their raffling license. Many of the members, she claims, had fun figuring out what to do and how to still bring the silent auction back to Hope despite their "bafflement" over the outage.
Hutsul declares, "The Auxiliary is a fantastic group." "We kept saying that by overcoming this obstacle, we were growing closer together."
Several things were put up for auction, including Vancouver Canucks tickets, Bridal Falls day passes, a four-person helicopter ride, a variety of gift certificates, spa baskets, soft scarves, and even a portable grill. The items' values ranged from $10 to $1,000, and attendees also had the chance to participate in a raffle and win door prizes. Tickets cost $10 and were available from various auxiliary members, Canyon Cable, Pharmasave, and the hospital gift shop.
- All of the items were put up for auction.
Despite the inconvenience the outage caused, Hutsul says the Auxiliary is "incredibly grateful" for the community's support and for the understanding displayed.
"Everyone was so understanding," said Hutsul. "Living in a small town has its benefits. It was initially a little slow [on Sunday], and not many people were entering the building. Although we were relieved that the silent auction could proceed, we had some anxiety. But after that, it continued to build until, by half past two, the room was comfortably full and lively.