Some things just make sense in more ways than one. After the successful Sturgeon Community Hospital Home project was completed last year, Morinville business owner Noreen Radford thought about how she wanted to continue the outpouring of community support and goodwill for the charity.
“It had such a feel-good [impact] within the town that we didn’t want to lose it. Of course, you can’t do anything of that magnitude every year …” she elaborated.
That’s why she kicked off the Celebrating Life and Culture event. Her business, Vintage Petals, has an interest in local youth artists so she saw the opportunity to extend that theme further with this fundraiser.
“We thought that would possibly make into a great pairing: contributing to health and supporting local artists.”
The event then is a single evening of art and wine that is certain to see a good crowd of happy people.
This weekend is also the third time around for Alberta Arts Days, a fact that Radford took into account during the planning stages. This year, the Sturgeon Community Hospital is also commemorating a full century of health services in Morinville and area.
As for the location somewhere in the heart of the community, there’s really only one centre to go for cultural events – the busy Morinville Community Cultural Centre.
“It plays well with the displaying of the art,” she gushed. “When you go into the mezzanine it actually looks like an art gallery! It is absolutely tremendous to see this calibre of art that our students are producing in this small community.”
Last year, the event brought in $10,000 for the foundation and organizers hope to do even better on the weekend.
The Sturgeon Community Hospital Foundation’s goal is to raise $250,000 this year to upgrade the hospital’s Digital Operating Rooms to level 4 i-suites. These will allow the surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgeries that are less traumatic, promote faster healing and allow the patients to return to their lives quicker.
The foundation’s events co-ordinator Doug Campbell can’t wait for the event. Last year, the art and the artists took centre stage.
“We told people that if they saw something they liked, talk to the artists. Well, we sold almost $5,000 worth of artwork. What the artists did, they made a contribution as well.”
The second annual Celebrating Life and Culture event takes place at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at Vintage Petals at 10002 100 Avenue in Morinville.
