Almost Home

May is always a busy month for Almost Home, with two major fundraising events happening within a few weeks of one another.  Volunteers outdo themselves year after year organizing sponsors, soliciting prizes and auction items, selling tickets and taking care of all the details necessary to ensure that the events will not just be financially successful but also FUN for those who attend.
 
  Almost Home’s 19th annual Bid of Entertainment was held at the downtown Holiday Inn on May 6th.  A crowd of 125 gathered for a delicious dinner and buffet dessert table, silent and live auctions and fabulous entertainment.  A local string trio, Triola, generously donated their talents to perform during the dinner hour and 9 year old Deseronto resident Noelle Maracle, winner of the recent YTV Virtual Next Star singing competition, brought the house down with her after-dinner performance.  Also, a special thanks to Auctioneer Brad Snyder who did a great job as well during the live action.Title sponsor Empire Life, Venue Sponsor Holiday Inn and Media Sponsor FlyFM share credit for the event’s success.  FlyFM generously provided the evening’s MC.
 
Norine Tousignant, Chair of the Organizing Committee, is aided by a talented group of volunteers too numerous to name.  They are already working on the 2011 event with plans to make the 20th anniversary Bid of Entertainment even bigger and better.  Almost Home will be inviting past supporters, volunteers and families to come together and celebrate our wonderful history.
 
The weather on May 28th could’t have been better for the 180 golfers who gathered at the Rivendell Golf Club in Verona for the 18th annual Almost Home and Investors Group Golf Tournament.  Thanks to our Title Sponsor Investors Group, Media Sponsor KRock and our hosts at Rivendell Golf Club, who provide a roast beef dinner to participants as well as their beautiful golf course.
 
Lori Flynn, who has Chaired the Golf Committee for many years, is hanging up her hat after this year’s event, leaving a great legacy and big shoes to fill.  Lori and her team of volunteers have always done a terrific job of making sure that every golfer has a great day on the greens and leaves feeling like a winner.
 
Almost Home opened its doors in the fall of 1992.  Since then, over 2900 families from as far away as Europe and South America have been able to access comfortable accommodation within walking distance of both Hotel Dieu and Kingston General Hospitals.  For $10 per night, some families stay at Almost Home for a night or two, while others are with us for months at a time.  Every Almost Home family has its own story but what they all have in common is that a difficult time has been made easier because of the generosity of the Kingston community.
 
On behalf of the families who stay at Almost Home – Thanks, Kingston!