NorthWest Community Lodge in Meadow Lake. (Matt Ryan/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Support for equipment, furnishings

ML NorthWest Community Lodge fundraiser planned

Apr 12, 2023 | 3:58 PM

The NorthWest Community Lodge Association Inc. is planning a fundraiser event – called “Making the Lodge a Home” – coming up, to support the lodge.

The non-profit will hold the event May 6 at the Meadow Lake Civic Centre, with supper starting at 6:30 p.m., followed by an evening of entertainment by Bonnie Kilroe, a popular B.C.-based performer and comedian. The meal will be provided through Vermette Custom Catering, from Goodsoil.

A silent auction and 50-50 raffle draw are also planned as part of the event.

Funds raised will help with costs to purchase furniture and equipment for the new lodge.

“We have been fundraising for the furniture, fixtures and equipment for the new lodge since 2015,” Alannah Farr, president of the NorthWest Community Lodge Association fundraising committee, said. “We are $450,000 away from our overall goal. So, this will just help put us a little bit farther ahead. Our overall goal is $2.3 million.”

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So far, $1.835 million has been raised.

“We were hoping to have it all fundraised before we moved into the new building in August of 2022, but we haven’t reached that goal yet,” Farr said. “We are just going to continue fundraising until we meet that.”

The association has raised funds to purchase new beds, all the medical equipment, IV pumps, a bladder scanner, blood pressure machines. It has also ordered new dining room and living room furniture, new bathtubs, bedside tables, as well as custom ceiling-track lifts for all the rooms to help move the residents. Funds also helped to purchase all new equipment for the therapy dept., as well as for outdoor patio heaters.

The NorthWest Community Lodge building, located at 30600 Highway 4 North, at the north end of Meadow Lake, opened last year. The lodge can accommodate up to 72 residents once fully operational. The new home replaces the old 53-bed Northland Pioneer Lodge site, located at 515-3 St. W. in Meadow Lake.

Farr encourages people to come to the dinner fundraiser to show their support for the new facility.

“We need the support to continue fundraising,” she said. “We have 60 out of our 72 beds open at the new home. So, we are hoping to open up that last [section] once we have our staffing and funding all in place.”

Farr said she hopes people purchase a ticket to attend the night-out fundraiser.

“Meadow Lake is usually last minute. So, we hope those ticket sales pick up in the next few weeks,” she said. “We’ve had quite a bit of community support for our silent auction and from our event sponsors. So, that’s amazing.”

The new lodge opened last year. (Matt Ryan/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Tickets for the fundraiser are available in advance directly at the Lodge and through the Lodge Association. They will also be available at the door on the night of the event. Organizers are asking people purchase their tickets in advance as much as possible for planning purposes.

“I encourage everyone to come out for a great night,” Farr said. “She [Kilroe] is very entertaining, and the caterer we’ve heard very positive things about.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @meadowlakenow