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User Not Found | Apr 29, 2016
Arts theatre fundraising
Jeff Hill from the Fort Erie Tim-Br Mart recently donated $1,000 towards the fundraising campaign for the town’s new arts theatre. Fundraising chair Fred Louws, left, is also gearing up for one of the campaign’s major fundraising events on May 14.
FORT ERIE – The fundraising campaign for the arts theatre at Fort Erie’s new high school still has about $1.5 million left to go, and an upcoming fundraiser is aimed at closing some of that gap.
Dubbed the ‘Hollywood North Party on the Patio’, the event will be a full evening of entertainment and prizes with a wide range of activities to entice all tastes.
The party kicks off with a welcome reception featuring local beer from Brimstone Brewery in Ridgeway, followed by a barbecue dinner from Pigout Catering and desserts from Niagara Cake Artistry. Entertainment is being provided by a host of top notch local bands, including Amber Reigns, Hannah Flake and the Mandevilles, Guilty Pleasures, Will Rowe and more.
Some swanky prizes are also up for grabs, like a stocked 20 bottle wine fridge, dinner for two at Peller Estates winery, and a trick for two to New York City.
Before the glitzy party kicks off next month though, the fundraising campaign received a sizeable donation from the local Tim-Br Mart. Earlier this this week, Jeff Hill from the Fort Erie Tim-Br Mart kicked in $1,000 towards the fundraising campaign, which is now just past the $400,000 marker.
The decision to use public funds to pay for the new high school theatre was a controversial issue around town last year which ended with a compromise between the municipality and the school board. There was no money in the budget to build a theatre, according to the school board, so instead both the board and the town kicked in $500,000 towards the $3-million arts theatre project. A fundraising committee has until September 2018 to try and collect the remaining $2 million through donations and the sale of different sponsoring opportunities. The naming rights to the entire theatre are being sold for $500,000 and according to fundraising committee chair Fred Louws, there is some interest on that front and discussions are ongoing with a few parties looking make larger donations.
The upcoming ‘Hollywood North’ fundraising party takes place on May 14 at the Leisureplex and tickets are $75. To book tickets or for more information, email hollywoodnorthtickets@outlook.com or call 905-246-4805.
James Culic
Fort Erie Post