This year marks the Canadian Jewellery Group’s fourth edition of raising money for Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada through the association’s annual Buying Show, which takes place every August in Toronto.
This year, the CJG raised around $16,800 through a silent auction and the scrap gold donated by participating retailers and suppliers during the Buying Show.
The money raised has been evenly divided between fourteen Ronald McDonald locations across the country and various jewellery industry members were selected to deliver the cheques on behalf of the CJG.
“It’s something that I think both the members and the suppliers can appreciate and I think that’s what makes it so successful,” says Beth Saunders, executive director of the CJG. “The houses are right across the country and [the fundraiser] benefits from east to west of our membership and that’s why we do it.”
Mike Lawlor of Lawlor Jewellery in Stettler, Alberta, was one of the jewellers chosen to deliver a cheque for $1,200 on behalf o the CJG to the Ronald McDonald House in Red Deer, Alberta .
“I was able to tour the whole house and see the kind of facilities they offer families,” says Lawlor. “It’s so valuable to have those kind of facilities in our area. I think it’s a wonderful initiative and I hope to grows with every year.”
The following is a list of the Ronald McDonald Houses across Canada that will receive donations from the CJG this year and the presenters.
– Ronald McDonald House Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John’s, Nlfd – Richard Rooney of Bogart’s Jewellers
– Ronald McDonald House Atlantic Canada, Halifax, NS – Peter Herbin of Herbin’s Jewellers
– Ronald McDonald House Quebec City, QC – Danielle Blier of Bulova
– Ronald McDonald House Montreal, QC – Darren Dubrovsky of Empress Jewellery
– Ronald McDonald House Ottawa, ON – John Anderson of Davidson’s Jewellers
– Ronald McDonald House Toronto, ON – Katie Taylor of Taylors
– Ronald McDonald House Hamilton, ON – Brian VandenDool of VandenDool Jewellers
– Ronald McDonald House Southwestern Ontario, London, ON – Dennis O’Neil of O’Neils Fine Jewellery (or Glen Van Valkenburg)
– Ronald McDonald House Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB – Jeremy Epp of Independent Jewellers
– Ronald McDonald House Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK – Cameron Kripki of Bateman Jewellers (or Dennis Heinrichs)
– Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta, Calgary, AB – Elyse Austen of Austen Jewellers
– Ronald McDonald House Central Alberta, Red Deer, AB – Laura Nederlof of Clowes Jewellers (or Mike Lawlor)
– Ronald McDonald House Northern Alberta, Edmonton, AB – Mary Martin, Crowleys Jewellers
– Ronald McDonald House British Columbia, Vacncouver, BC – Steve Parker of Customgold Mfg.
