Is the annual Lounsbury Fun Challenge, which was held on the weekend, the tip of the iceberg, signifying tough sledding ahead for charities in
the Metro Moncton area Organizers for the event expressed disappointment that the money raised was insufficient to meet their needs. “The real disappointment was the business community,” Connie Melanson-Savoy, executive director of the Greater Moncton Association for Community Living, told the Times & Transcript last week. “We had between five and seven company teams registered, but now we’re down to two.” The charity, which provides support for Moncton residents with intellectual disabilities, depends on the annual Lounsbury Fun Challenge for a major part of their budget. But what about all the other charities who are also scrambling for a portion of the same dollar from area residents A recession is on, businesses are cutting back staff and the provincial government has frozen its employees’ wages. During economic uncertainty, people are not going to be able to give to as many charities or give as much money to their favourite charity as they might normally do, says Nancy Hartling of Moncton, executive director for Support to Single Parents. She said this situation compels individual charities, in their fund-raising efforts, to be more innovative.
The fund-raiser has to be something that is different, something that catches the public eye, said Hartling. For example, her group launched its first annual Soup Fest, in January, in which people tried out various kinds of soups which were supplied by local restaurants, she said.