Canadian charities are feeling the crunch because of COVID-19, and Quesnel is no exception.
The Quesnel Lions Club is getting stung by the pandemic. Ticket sales for the club’s annual draw were so low they needed to ask for an extension from the Province to continue selling tickets into the fall.
The club’s president, Brent Oxenbury, said he doesn’t think it’s because people are less willing to give.
He said the club usually sells tickets at a booths set up at various locations throughout Quesnel during the summer.
“COVID-19 put a serious monkey wrench into our plans,” Oxenbury said. “It’s still been problematic.”
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Imagine Canada, an organization dedicated to promoting charities, reported charity revenues are down more than 30 per cent during the pandemic.
Oxenbury said sharing the draw on social media has helped in a final push.
“People in Quesnel have always been terribly generous,” he said. “[Low sales] are mostly because we’re not out there like we were in the past.”
Another big fundraiser for the Lions is set for Sept. 26. The club hosts a garage sale twice a month at 2391 Hydraulic Rd. The Saturday sales run from 9 a.m to 2 p.m.
Oxenbury explained the sales will be following careful COVID-19 prevention guidelines, including masks and a 10-person limit inside the building.
Tickets for the draw are $5 each and are available at K-Max Games and Fountain Tire and are available through the Lions Club’s Facebook page. E-transfer is an option for purchasing a ticket.
Draw prizes include a gypsy caravan as first prize, $1,000 cash as second prize and a tablet as third prize. The draw date is Oct. 12.
“We’re always fundraising — that’s what we do,” he said. “Other than donating the money back.”
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