The Northern Village of Pinehouse is getting ready to raise money to support a range of people in their community.
This coming Saturday the community will be putting on the annual Pinehouse Polar Bear Plunge. The event is set to get underway at 10 a.m. This year’s fundraiser will see over 20 people taking the plunge into Pinehouse Lake. Representatives from a range of organizations are set to take part along with some people who are just participating individually.
Martine Smith who is helping to organize this year’s plunge told The MBC Morning Wake Up Call host Ken Landers that last year’s event was their best when it came to funds raised.
“We raised $28,500,” she said.
Smith explained the money raised from the plunge goes to support a number of people in the Pinehouse community. This includes people who have been diagnosed with cancer and need to travel out of the community in order to get treatment. Smith said due to the success of last year’s event they were able to provide $18,000 to people who needed to leave Pinehouse for treatment.
“$18,000 went a long way within the community,” she said.
People who need to leave Pinehouse for cancer treatment have to travel five hours to Saskatoon. Smith, who herself has undergone treatment for cancer, said making the trip down can leave people out a decent amount of money and added financial support is welcome.
“This goes a long way for everybody,” she said.
Funds raised as well went to support initiatives involving young people in the community. Smith said due to the success of last year’s polar bear plunge Pinehouse was able to give over $10,000 to help out young people in the community.
“We’ve had three youth conferences that we’ve donated to and just other areas of where the youth needed money,” she said.