Despite the wintry evening, people from Donalda and area braved the cold to attend the 11th Annual Living Hope Camp Fundraiser on Saturday evening, March 11.
According to organizers Wade and Carol Montgomery, the evening was a “huge success.”
The roast beef supper by Teresa’s Catering was followed by live and silent auctions.
When the fundraiser started in 2006, the organizers always had entertainment after supper, in the form of singing groups, dinner theatre, cowboy poetry or a standup comedian.
“Many people commented that the funds for the entertainment could be used for the camp as the trio of auctioneer Albern Bergstrom and bid takers, Brad Lohr and David Vikse were doing a fabulous job of entertaining,” Wade Montgomery said.
However, this year Montgomery stepped in for Lohr as one of the bid takers, which brought out some belly laughs from the community and all those present at the event.
“Dale Adam helped out too,” Montgomery added.
With 116 people in attendance, the bidding picked up a lot of tempo, with baking items that sold for up to $200 and handmade and homemade items going for for $400.
With all auction items being donated by community members and local businesses, in the past 11 years a total of $51,313 has been raised for the camp, according to Montgomery.
“We would like the Donalda community to be proud and all those who have supported us,” Montgomery added. “It is because of the generosity of the supporters that the Bible Camp has been able to keep its registration fees low and pay for some families to attend camp, who otherwise would be unable to because of financial constraints.”
The Living Hope Camp Association (LHCA) is a Christian family camp supported by four Lutheran churches and their members, which include Asker and Calvary from east of Ponoka; and Sharon and former Bethany from Donalda.
The LHCA rents the facilities at Deer Valley Meadows for the week of the camp.
This year the Living Hope Bible Camp will be running from Monday, Aug. 7 to Saturday, Aug. 12,
For more information on the camp, please visit the Living Hope Camp Facebook page.