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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, November 24, 2011 · 10 Prayer Breakfast hopes to draw new faces By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The Oakville Prayer Breakfast regularly attracts more than 500 people to its once-a-year event and its 27 years of success helped motivate nearby communities to start similar programs. But, as the 28th annual event draws near, this year on Wednesday, Dec. 7, around the start of Advent, the non-denominational Christianbased group is hoping to attract new participants. "It's absolutely fundamental to keeping an organization current," said Ann Mulvale, who was one of the founders of the event when she was an Oakville councillor. To drum up new participants and supporters, the group launched its website, www.oakvilleprayerbreakfast.com, and has released new marketing material that took months to complete, with the help of numerous supporters and the use of focus groups. "We took a very business-like approach. What would you do on a marketing strategy on a product?" Mulvale said. The chair of the prayer breakfast, Linda Williams, said each year 10 to 20 per cent of the participants are new. But, the ongoing supporters are aging. "Some of the stalwarts are getting older, they're in their 80s or 70s," she said. "People who have been coming all these years don't find it so easy to get up so early in the morning. So, we want to keep on building that relevance and getting new people involved." One of the supporters of the event, Rikki Wright, was instrumental in helping the group with its re-imaging. Wright has a web design background and has worked on the new website and the marketing brochures, which he hopes will attract some younger participants. "It's facilitating to reach a wider, perhaps more youthful, audience," he said. "The responses we often get, especially from new people, is they only just heard about it. `It was a wonderful event and I wish I heard about it sooner.' With this marketing drive, we hope to reach those people who maybe haven't heard about us who would enjoy coming out and hearing from our speakers and listening to our musicians and having some fellowship." The event formed in 1984 with such members as then mayor, Harry Barrett, and a number of locals. Each year, aside from a hot buffet breakfast, the event includes three prayers, an opening, a closing and one for local community leaders. In addition, the event includes live music and a keynote speaker, someone who is living his or her faith and has had success in life. "We need people who can be real about their faith and that's why it's great to have people from sports, business, academia and public life telling us what it means," Mulvale said. This year, the speaker will be Gino Reda, a TSN broadcaster who devotes his time to numerous charitable organizations. The musician will be Jodi King. "It's a positive way to start the morning in December," said Williams. She added the event would resonate with people outside the Christian, or any, faith. "It's inspirational. People, not of any particular faith, or the Christian faith, are hearing a speaker present something and they're inspired and encouraged. They also like meeting one another. There's a real buzz in the room," she said. The group hopes the increased marketing will result in more people at the breakfast. "We actually have capacity to host more at this location," Mulvale said. "It's not a numerical thing for us. It's about giving people the awareness of this opportunity because the feedback from all age groups is it's a very stimulating, enjoyable morning." The group exists thanks to the generosity of local sponsors and businesses. This year's Oakville Prayer Breakfast takes place at the Oakville Conference Centre, located at 2515 Wyecroft Rd. The hot buffet starts at 6:45 a.m., while the program runs from 7:15-9 a.m. Tickets cost $20 and are available at the group's website. No tickets will be sold at the door. Dominik Kurek can be reached at dkurek@oakvillebeaver.com or follow him on Twitter @DominikKurek. MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER LOOKING TO GROW: Linda Williams, chair of the Oakville Prayer Breakfast. BE SMART. BUY THRIFTY. $17,295 PLUS TA T X $14,995 PLUS TA T X $13,895 PLUS TA T X 2011 TO TOYOTA CAMRY R LE This attractive sports sedan features a 2.5L 4 cyl, auto, AM/FM/ CD, A/ A C, power windows/locks, tilt, cruise. Cert & e-tested. 65,330 km. Unit #V926940. 2010 FORD FUSION SEL Motor Trend 2010 Car Of The Ye Y ar! Includes a 2.5L 4cyl. engine, auto.All power options, A/ A C, alloy wheels, tilt, cruise, Cert & e-tested. 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