MVC4 Kids, which helps provide funding for families of children requiring medical help when all other sources of assistance fail, received the most votes at the second annual Spring Fling Friday night in the Cow Palace.
Under the Spring Fling concept, patrons vote for any one of four local causes. The one receiving the most votes receives 50 per cent of the proceeds. The remaining funds are split between the other three causes.
About $30,000 was raised, not including 50/50 proceeds and liquor sales, basically the same amount as was raised during the first Spring Fling last year.
About 415 tickets were sold, up slightly from last year when 400 were sold.
The other three charities splitting the funds are Chinook Arch Victims Services; the Olds Gymnastics Club, which hopes to obtain a spring floor to improve safety for club members; and a project to expand the Holy Trinity School playground.
“Given the economic conditions, I mean we've got to be ecstatic over raising $30,000 for charity in this economy,” Spring Fling co-chair Hugh Bodmer says.
“The four charities just worked extremely hard – really, really hard – and they got the vote out.”
Each charity set up fun activities for patrons.
Popular attractions included the gym club's gymnastics demonstrations, a slide, the martini bar and the dunk tank.
Spring Fling sponsors/organizers include the Olds Rotary Club, Olds Kiwanis Club, Olds Regional Exhibition and local news media. Food was donated by the Westview Co-op.
Like last year, hotdogs with all the trimmings were available. Drinks could also be purchased.
Many people dropped by to meet former Olds resident Danielle Lappage, a female wrestler who has qualified to compete in this summer's Olympics in Rio and is raising money to cover costs as she trains for that event.
A flag with the logo of all the Spring Fling sponsors was set out on a table. On it, people were invited to sign their names and write best wishes for Lappage.
It was quickly covered with messages such as “crush 'em,” “eye of the tiger,” “rock Rio,” and “be the magnificent woman you are.”
Spring Fling organizers would have liked to have named Lappage as one of the four charities to benefit from the event, but she didn't meet their criteria, so she was named the first-ever Spring Fling ambassador.
Bodmer was asked if he believes Lappage's attendance attracted people to Spring Fling.
“It probably did,” he said. “That's hard to say.”
Bodmer says it's too early to say whether organizers will change any aspect of Spring Fling for next year. He predicts the organizing committee will meet in a couple of weeks to analyze this year's event and go from there.
"Given the economic conditions, I mean we've got to be ecstatic over raising $30,000 for charity in this economy." HUGH BODMERSPRING FLING CO-CHAIR
