Christian Gammon-Roy
Tribune
Members of the Waterpalooza board presented a donation cheque to Community Living West Nipissing on Tuesday, September 2nd. The August 2nd concert event and fundraiser on the Sturgeon River managed to earn $10,900 for the organisation, not too far off from last year’s total despite a much lower turnout from boaters. According to Waterpalooza Chair Joe Welna, the event only drew an estimated 15 boats this time around, but he and other organisers insist that attendance is not the only metric for success of the Waterpalooza.
While Welna doesn’t have a definitive answer for why traffic was so much lower than last year’s peak of roughly 130 boats, he suspects that the current uncertain economic times might have something to do with it. As he’s observed from living right on the Sturgeon River, boat traffic has been down this year overall, not just for Waterpalooza. In terms of how that has affected the fundraising, he’s pleased to say that they are only down roughly $1,100 from last year’s total. He attributes the reduction to the lack of VIP spots which were mostly purchased by out-of-town boaters last year, and were notably absent this year.
Organisers still managed to collect some donations from attending boaters and neighbours who watched from their own property along the Sturgeon River. However, Welna notes that around 80% of their fundraising came from sponsorships, and this year the Waterpalooza came out far ahead on that front. “We more than tripled our number of sponsors from last year,” says Welna. He adds that this year’s sponsorship packages were scaled back, following feedback over high prices last year, which he felt was less intimidating for businesses wanting to donate this time.
Regarding success, Welna is also quick to note that it isn’t only about the money. Many of the clients of Community Living West Nipissing, along with some of their caregivers, attended the event, sitting out in Welna’s back yard, just near to the stage. “We were just overwhelmed by the smiles on everybody’s faces. About halfway through Ghost Rider playing, everyone was up on the property dancing. There are other ways to measure success, but that tops my list. I’m glad that we were able to bring the clients over, and just to watch them enjoying themselves, I don’t know how you put a dollar sign to that,” Welna describes.
Community Living grateful as costs rise, coverage won’t keep up
Sylvie Bélanger, Community Living West Nipissing’s Executive Director, agrees that the event was a big hit. As Welna says, her clients got to enjoy a concert that day, and the funds raised will finance a significant amount of support for them too.
As Bélanger explains, funds raised go into a “special pot of funding that is managed by board members, community members, staff, and people we support.” People who need additional supports not covered by insurance or programs can apply for these funds. “ODSP covers the bare minimum, so you can apply for funding through this special fund. We’ve never turned down anybody. We’ve bought wheelchairs, hospital beds, orthotics, we’ve helped someone who lost their apartment and had to move and pay first and last months’ rent because they don’t have any money in their bank account. They can barely afford food and lodging with their ODSP cheques every month,” she describes.
With inflation so high, even the necessities are becoming a luxury, she rues. In fact, Bélanger says that lately, the funds have been used to help with simple groceries, to avoid clients having to rely on the food bank. Just this year, they have spent roughly $68,000 out of this fund for “just extra stuff for people, or things that we helped them out with.”
Bélanger is asked what determines the difference between “basic and necessary”, and what is considered as “extra” for the purpose of ODSP coverage. She does not have a definitive answer. “I don’t know what it’s based on, because it’s not even based on cost-of-living increases. We’ve been advocating for years, with Community Living Ontario, for an increase to ODSP every year that at least equal to the cost-of-living,” she answers. She admits that there have been increases, sometimes as low as $35 for the year – “a pittance.”