GORE BAY—Tremendous community support continues to be provided by clubs, organizations and individuals to the Angel Bus wheelchair accessible bus. This has been demonstrated again recently with several donations made to the Angel Bus committee by the Gore Bay Rotary Club, Municipality of Central Manitoulin and a confirmed donation to be made by Lafarge Canada.
The concept of a wheelchair accessible bus to help normalize and enrich the lives of the residents of the Manitoulin Lodge Nursing Home in Gore Bay, as well as other citizens of Western Manitoulin with accessibility issues, is now a one-year-old reality. The Angel Bus had its first run on April 22, 2015. Since then there have been over 60 outings with well over 300 riders transported, explained Don Bainbridge, an Angel Bus fundraising committee member, in a press release earlier this week.
“Just as the initial fundraising campaign for the Angel Bus concept was embraced with generous support from the community, so too is the successful reality of this wonderful project through continued donations from local businesses, municipalities, service clubs, church groups and individuals,” said Mr. Bainbridge. “Most recently repeat donations of $1,000 from the Municipality of Central Manitoulin and $1,200 from the Rotary Club of Gore Bay have been gratefully received. And earlier this week, the Angel Bus Committee received confirmation from Lafarge Canada Community Relations Officer Mark Wickett of a $5,000 donation for the second year in a row.”
“Such continued community support helps to ensure that annual Angel Bus operational costs of $12,000-15,000 can be met, and also helps to establish a good foundation for the necessary purchase of a newer bus two to three years from now,” Mr. Bainbridge said.
As both a fundraiser and a thank you to the community the Angel Bus Committee is busy planning a special event. On Saturday, May 7 at the Park Centre in Kagawong, the committee and a team of volunteers will be hosting The Spring Wing Ding Dance, a licenced event from 8 pm to 1 am, featuring all vinyl 45s of music from the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s complete with DJ, decorations and disco ball. The committee hopes participants will come dressed in the style of their favourite decade. Admission is $10 at the door.
Adding to the uniqueness of the event will be purchased ticket draws for an array of donated items which again demonstrates the amazing generosity of the community, continued Mr. Bainbridge. Among these are; an airplane ride over Manitoulin, passes for 10 rounds of golf at the Manitoulin Island Country Club, a Chi-Cheemaun Sunset dinner cruise for two, a beautiful Richard Edwards painting, 12 yards of crushed gravel from H&R Noble Construction and dinner for two at the Schoolhouse Restaurant.
Mr. Bainbridge added that, “soon the Angel Bus will be sporting a new look as it goes into Beacon Images for signage changes that will highlight significant donors for this year.”
