Letters to the Editor...SMA fund-raising gala was a rousing success

Dear editor, On Saturday, November 11, we hosted the Angel Gala for Spinal Muscular Atrophy Fundraiser at Glencairn Golf Club in Milton. It was a night to remember. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our wonderful community for being so helpful in our quest to find a cure for SMA. There were 220 guests in attendance, many of whom are friends and neighbours from the Halton area. Glencairn was a beautiful venue for our event and the staff did an outstanding job of taking care of such a large crowd. We had 190 silent auction items, many of which were donated by local Acton, Georgetown and Milton merchants. Thank you for your generosity in trying to help our cause. Professional live auctioneer, Ray Veeneman, donated his talents, raising $11,000 in 11 minutes. The winning bidders left with such items as black pearls, a diamond necklace, plasma television, a hot air balloon ride and more. After an electrifying speech by Louise Smith, who represented the charity Families of SMA Canada, the energy in the room was palpable. We raised $48,000 that night which goes directly to research to find a cure for SMA. I would like to thank my dedicated volunteer committee who made it all possible and our friends and neighbours for their support. I would also like to thank MPP Ted Chudleigh for taking time out of his busy schedule to put in an appearance. Together we will find a cure. Theresa Van Fraassen, Acton