Cashing In

Monday, 9 December 2013 at 11:39

L-R - Steve Berkley (WPS), Jane Baker (WPS Dispatch), Sue Ann Martin (Can Tire), Gord Latford (Red Cross), Dianne Marshall (Oxford Emergency Management), Scott Tegler (Woodstock Fire), Mike Maycock (Oxford EMS)

Six local charities benefit from this year's Lights & Sirens Charity Ball

Another smashing success for the Lights & Sirens Charity Ball.

$34,000 in total was raised from the 4th annual event.

The largest beneficiaries are the Canadian Tire JumpStart program, and the Canadian Red Cross. Each are receiving $15,000. Also receiving $1000 each were the Inn Out of the Cold, the Woodstock YMCA, Southgate Centre and the Salvation Army.

In the case of the Red Cross the money will be used to purchase an Emergency Management trailer.

Gord Latford with Red Cross Disaster Management explains, "If we have a major emergency in this area, we're planning on having a trailer fully equiped to set up shelter in just a couple of hours time. In the next 2-weeks, we will have an emergency response vehicle stationed here in Woodstock, also, which will be used to draw that trailer. This response vehicle covers all of Ontario, but it will be stationed here in Woodstock."

Woodstock Fire Chief Scott Tegler is part of the Lights & Sirens committee, and says they felt the trailer was a great fit. "We felt it was significant to be able to support our internal programs that affect all three of our emergency services, plus the community."

The Lights & Sirens Charity Ball committee is comprised of members of the Woodstock Police, Oxford County EMS, and Woodstock Fire Department. They choose two different charities each year for the funds that are raised.

They've now raised over $130,000 in just 4-years time, an amount which still surprises Tegler. "We started this thing with nothing. We had absolutely nothing the first year. We use the phrase 'beg, borrowed, and stole' to get it off the ground. We started off with a great attendance the first year, and it's just continued every year since then."

The first year sold out at 550 guests. 460 guests attended this year's ball.

Also benefitting from the event in previous years were:

- In 2010, $25,000 was donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® and the United Way of Oxford.

- In 2011, $36,000 to VON Oxford Sakura House and Operation Sharing’s Food for Friends Program.

- In 2012, $40,000 to Woodstock and District Developmental Services and Oxford County School Nutrition Program.