We’ve come a long way since March of last year. The Firehall is now offering summer camps and activities and preparing for Fall programs: in person and online. All of us at OSCA (staff and volunteers) thank you for your support and generosity. Your pledges and contributions have surpassed $85,000.
This summer the majority of our summer camps are outdoors at Windsor Park. Safety remains our top priority and we continue to meet and even exceed Ottawa Public Health COVID-19 recommendations. Our staff to child ratio is 1 to 5. We look forward to seeing you again this summer and fall.
When we first started planning the Online Art Auction for the Save Our Firehall campaign, we had no idea it would turn out to be such a success. Twenty-six local artists donated thirty-five pieces of art to the campaign. Over the summer, we had 7 online auction cycles raising $3,545 so far.
The final auction cycle, featuring five remaining unsold works of art, will close Sunday, September 26, 2021.
Abbotsford is bursting at the seams with donations that they were unable to sell while they were closed to the public. They are now planning to sell these items in a Blow-Out (Everything Must Go) Sale on Saturday, August 28, 2021. Bargains galore!
We are working our way through the fabulous local artwork donated to OSCA’s Save Our Firehall campaign. Over $1300 has been raised so far! Visit us @saveourfirehall on Facebook. Bidding on the latest artwork posted ends Sunday, July 25, 2021.
The Save Our Firehall Online Art Auction was inspired by several amazing individuals and families in OOS who’ve come up with unique, inventive, and creative ways to raise money for the Save Our Firehall campaign: neighbours like Shelley and Sean Kennedy, who built birdhouses, or Candace Newman and family who baked ‘Fire cookies.’
When I saw those posts on the Old Ottawa South Facebook Group, I wondered how I might contribute. Perhaps by selling or auctioning a painting? But it wasn’t until Bess Fraser contacted the Firehall with an idea to auction off one of her paintings, that the idea took hold. OSCA staff members Darcy Middaugh and Luke Sears contacted Winnie Pietrykowski and me and we started brainstorming about how we could expand this idea.
Ottawa Songwriters Uplifting the Mayfair (OSUM) — Saturday and Sunday, May 15 and 16, 2021 on YouTube (free) and on Zoom (ticketed). Two events of music, a silent auction, and more to raise funds for Mayfair Theatre.
When gyms and recreation facilities closed down during the COVID-19 pandemic, many OOS residents returned to or increased our most fundamental form of exercise—walking. In the process, we re-discovered our local neighbourhoods, got to know our neighbours better and found ourselves developing a greater sense of community. Often, we were not alone in our efforts, walking our dogs or alongside a grandchild or friend with whom we shared experiences, frustrations, and sometimes sorrows.
Glebe Collegiate Institute will be holding its ‘Kids 4 Kids’ CHEO drive virtually this year, the fundraiser will run from May 1st to June 22nd 2021. Glebe’s CHEO drive is an annual event run by students and staff at Glebe Collegiate Institute to help raise funds for the CHEO Foundation. Every year, Glebe students organize amazing events and canvas door to door to raise funds for CHEO. Unfortunately, these in person events can’t happen this year, but we will still have plenty of opportunities for you to donate virtually.
Last month we shared a story called “Birdhouses Galore” describing Shelley and Sean Kennedy’s stockpile of homemade birdhouses. It began as a hobby to while away the pandemic hours, but soon enough there were more birdhouses than any one backyard could possibly use. And so the Kennedys decided to fundraise for the Firehall, selling the birdhouses for $10/each on the Old Ottawa South Group Facebook page.
As of mid-April, 41 birdhouses have gone out the door to provide new homes for our feathered friends in OOS. Shelley and Sean continue to be impressed by the generosity of their neighbours. Donations from the “birdhouse lark” now total $825 – proof positive that no donation is too small and that every dollar counts.
The following article was printed in the March 2021 of the OSCAR. We have adapted the article for online reading, abbreviated where we could, and reorganized some of the information in response to some very helpful suggestions.
Save Our Firehall
In Response to Your Questions
Since launching OSCA’s fundraising campaign to Save Our Firehall, we have received a variety of messages by email and phone encouraging us, lending both moral and financial support. We thank you for this kindness and generosity.
“It started as a bit of a lark – birdhouses everywhere in our basement and a throw away comment of ‘hey, maybe people would want them for a donation to the Firehall?’ explained Shelley Kennedy.
“And now we have requests for 58 birdhouses! My husband Sean is astonished at the attention this has received.” The birdhouses are made from used skids or pallets collected from local businesses, a recycling hobby that Sean started to while away pandemic hours. The skids are not “treated” and are safe for our local birds. Aside from cross-country skiing, work and family the recycled birdhouses are filling in some of Sean’s creative play when “staying at home” is the best way to beat COVID-19.
