It was another successful Spring Campaign for the Dauphin and District Community Foundation(DDCF).
Once again, Dauphin Marketplace Mall Developer, Bob Williams, matched all donations up to $10,000, This year, Williams wanted to remember a longtime friend who recently passed away says DDCF Executive Director Kit Daley.
"He originally offered to do it last year to encourage the small donations and it was a very successful campaign. So this year he offered to do it again, and then when Ernie Hutsal passed away, Bob asked that this year's campaign be in memory of Ernie, his longtime friend."
Bob Williams, developer of Dauphin Market Place Mall, wants this challenge to be in memory of Ernie Hutsal, 'the Hutsal...
Posted by Dauphin & District Community Foundation on Tuesday, May 2, 2023
During the Spring Campaign, there was also an initiative started by a former business owner in the mall to honour and celebrate Hutsal. Daley says they were really taken aback by all of the support.
"One of the previous business owners in the mall wanted to celebrate what would have been Ernies 74th Birthday on May 5th and arranged a table in the Mall with a Toonie prize giveaway. That was sort of Ernies go-to fundraiser. She put a lot of work into organizing it, and 13 businesses donated prizes."
Daley says they were able to raise around $2,000 on that day alone.
In memory of Ernie Hutsal, former Dauphin Market Place Mall Manager, there will be a donation table set up in the mall...
Posted by Dauphin & District Community Foundation on Thursday, May 4, 2023
Williams set a goal when he agreed to match donations, but Daley says she was sure the community would exceed his expectations.
"When Bob offered the matching funds, he said he wanted us to have it completed by the end of August, and I thought this is Dauphin, We'll have this done by the end of May."
The DDCF Reached its goal on May 30th.
