The Minden Hills community centre fundraising advisory committee is dropping the puck on a fundraising campaign on May 25.

That campaign is to raise funds for additional items at the new arena and recreation complex, including a new scoreboard, banner cable and skate harness, a wall-mounted fireplace for the lobby, outdoor benches and digital signage for the exterior of the building.

“We are so excited to finally launch this fundraising campaign,” Councillor Jennifer Hughey, who is chairing the committee, said in a release. “After a number of successful planning meetings, the committee is ready to start raising money toward our projected goal of $300,000 for the facility.”

The first phase of a three-part fundraising campaign is called the Take A Seat Donation, where residents and businesses can sponsor one of 294 seats in the new arena with a $500 donation. A plaque acknowledging the financial contribution will be affixed to each seat, and tax receipts will be issued. The program is running on a first-come, first-served basis, the release specifies. Beginning May 25, those interested in purchasing a seat are asked to contact Hughey at 705-854-1205 or jhughey@mindenhills.ca, or Betty Mark at 705-286-4754.

The initial fundraising goal for the original fundraising committee was $750,000, however that was before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. The initial fundraising committee was disbanded following public criticism that it contained too many members of township staff, and a new fundraising committee was struck through a motion of council last August. That committee has been meeting virtually amid the continuing pandemic.

– Staff