Charity auction influence at Cornfest


By Greg Price Taber Times


The impact of Taber Charity Auction is far


reaching, and that influence is highlighted every year at the Cornfest Stage. “It caps off our year and we like to do it at


Cornfest because it’s a community thing.The community supports us with money and they’d like to know where all the money goes,”said Jack French,who has been with Taber Charity Auction since its inception. “The big thing is with the people that sup- port us year after year, know where the money goes. It’s pretty gratifying when you can stand up on stage and hand out $100,000 in 15 to 20 minutes.”


Nearly a quarter century of philanthropy


has flowed through the Taber Charity Auction where the organization is nearing the $2 million mark raised for STARS Air Ambulance and many local community serv- ices. “We set a mandate years ago that 90 per


cent of our proceeds be that we stay with STARS and EMS emergency services type thing.When EMS was turned over to Alberta Health, that changed our perspective a little bit.We have another helicopter in the area in HALO,so we have moved some money their way,”said French.“We have another fire department now (M.D.) and moved some money their way.We try and support com- munity services that don’t have a registration fee,making it free for the community to use. We try and support that kind of thing like the food bank, handi-bus and kid’s breakfast program at Central School.Those dollars every year vary depending on the govern- ment’s involvement in that program.Some years it’s $6,000,some years it is $1,500.” Name an organization that helps fill a gap in social programs and Taber Charity Auction probably has donated to it being TCAPS, the Policeman’s Ball or the Giroux charity golf tournament. “The girls (from the charity golf tourna- ment) come and help out at our charity auc- tion and we turn around and support their golf tournament.They turn around and probably multiply that by three or four times and hand it out to the community,” said French. Coming upon the 25th anniversary of


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Taber Charity Auction in 2020, French added the organization is about $200,000 shy of $2 million and would like to see that bench mark reached. “After the summer holidays and the farm- ers get through harvest,we are going to sit down and come up with some ideas to make this our best year ever,”said French.“If there is any way we can get $200,000 to get to $2 million dollars for that anniversary, it’s a personal goal.We will maybe do some things that are a little bit different.The auc- tion has been great and we’ve raised a lot of money doing it,but maybe there is some stuff we can do something early in the New Year and the fall and do the auction. Spread things out while tightening up the auction time.” Cornfest is the single biggest event in


Taber and one of the biggest in all of south- ern Alberta. In recent years,Taber Charity Auction has donated ot Cornfest itself. “We feel it’s a worthwhile event and it’s a homecoming for a lot of people.People can listen to music all day long and most of the stuff is sponsored.There is no admission to get in. It’s the community’s money and so if we can make the community event better, why not?”said French.“We should of proba- bly called ourselves Taber Community Auction instead of Taber Charity Auction because a lot of the services we give to are not charities.They are a benefit to the town and hopefully we can keep them going.” Taber Charity Auction will be featured on


the Cornfest Stage on Friday,Aug. 23 from 4:45-5:15 p.m.


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