McGill’s Centraide campaign more than halfway home

The McGill Centraide campaign has passed the halfway mark in reaching its goal of $400,000. So far, the campaign has notched more that $250,000, according to the campaign’s website, with a number of events yet to come.

www.centraide-mtlBy McGill Reporter Staff

The McGill Centraide campaign has passed the halfway mark in reaching its goal of $400,000.

So far, the campaign has notched more that $250,000, according to the campaign’s website, with a number of events yet to come.

“We are doing very well,” said campaign co-chair Michael Di Grappa, Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance). “We’re all very pleased to see the response from the community to date, given that we were a little late out of the starting blocks, and we are more than hopeful that we’ll get to our goal.

“But we’ll need help to get there and I encourage anyone who hasn’t yet made a contribution to do so, either at one of the many events being organized around our campuses or through the very easy payroll deduction process that allows you to make a small bi-weekly donation. A twoonie per week can go a long way to helping people in need in the Greater Montreal area,” Di Grappa said.

“One thing people should remember,” said Peter Todd, Dean of the Desautels Faculty of Management, is that their payroll deductions are not automatically renewed. “You have to go to the personalized email each employee received from the Centraide campaign (November 15) in order to renew your payroll deduction contribution,” Todd said. “We hope you don’t miss making your contribution this year because you thought it was automatically rolled over from last year’s campaign. If you can’t locate your personalized email, please contact lydia.martone@mcgill.ca

Student Housing and Hospitality Services invites McGillians to participate in a raffle, offering an overnight stay for two at Château Versailles, a $150 Food and Dining Gift Card, and baskets worth $125 that include gift cards to Fabergé, Subway, Sinfully Asian and more. Tickets can be purchased for $2 at the front desk of any Residence Hall.

The Faculty Club’s semi-monthly Trivia Challenge continues apace, with a packed house again last week. Nearly 120 people paid $5 each for the privilege of matching wits with Quizmaster Prof. David Harpp. Now in its fourth season, the competition is drawing sold-out crowds and raising hundreds of dollars almost every month. The next Trivia competition is Jan. 30.

You can be eligible to win a prize if you make a contribution. They’ll draw for six iPod nanos in the following categories: a) new (first-time) donors via payroll deductions or one-time donations (two draws); b) repeat donors via payroll deductions or one-time donations (two draws); c) new leaders who make a minimum donation of $1,000 (one draw); and d) repeat leaders who make a minimum donation of $1,000, (one draw).

Those who haven’t contributed to Centraide in the past may be surprised to learn that the organization is able to help nearly 370 organizations in the Greater Montreal area, from human-rights groups, to those who provide food, to those who help seniors who live alone and are cut off from contact with the rest of society.

“When Centraide raises nearly $60 million on an annual basis (this year’s target is $58.5 million) it is able to offer significant support to these organizations – enough that they could hire staff or pay for their entire office overhead like rent and heat and electricity. It’s a big deal for all these organizations that are dedicated to helping others,” said the campaign co-chairs, Di Grappa; Todd; Kevin Whittaker (President, MUNACA); Brian Farnan (SSMU V-P Internal Affairs);
and Michael Krause (PGSS Internal Affairs Officer) in a recent message to the community.

“Second, Centraide is like a co-operative, in which resources are pooled to provide aid and services to organizations that couldn’t otherwise solicit funds on their own,” the co-chairs said. “As a result, more than half a million people in the greater Montreal area are the beneficiaries of the generosity of all of us. And Centraide not only makes sure organizations are able to deliver what they say they will in terms of programs to help people, but these organizations are accountable for how the money is spent.”

For more information, visit McGill’s Centraide Campaign website.