The weather outside may have been cold, but inside, several hearts were warmed at an auction described in turns as “amazing&” and “emotional,&” as hundreds of people came out to support the families affected by the Oct. 25 crash at Racette School.
The weather outside may have been cold, but inside, several hearts were warmed at an auction described in turns as “amazing&” and “emotional,&” as hundreds of people came out to support the families affected by the Oct. 25 crash at Racette School.
With only a month to plan the Hats for Healing Pink Heart Auction, event organizers managed to collect a massive amount of items for the Sunday afternoon live and silent auction, held at the Recreation Centre. After all was said and done, about $83,000 was raised to go towards the three families most affected following the crash that killed a Grade 6 student and critically injured two of her classmates.
Thomas Wolitski, whose daughter Megan was killed in the incident, and Paul Guitard, whose daughter remains in hospital, took the opportunity to speak publicly for the first time since the incident.
Wolitski offered thanks to everyone who has offered their help, from the staff and first responders on the day of the crash, to the many phone calls, flowers and food that his family received. Even though the loss of his daughter has been devastating, the acts being done in honour of Megan have been “very uplifting.
“I am amazed at the generosity,&” he said, adding, “We’re proud to live in such a supportive community.&”
The Megan Wolitski Scholarship fund has been set up and will be received “by many of your children for years to come,&” he told the audience, before offering his own thoughts and prayers to the others affected by the tragedy, specifically the entire Grade 6 class who all must heal.
Following a loud applause for Wolitski, silence fell upon the audience as Guitard addressed the crowd, thanking them for attending the event.
Although he and his family have only been in St. Paul for four years, Guitard said it feels like they have been in the town their whole lives.
“I am humbled by the generosity,&” said Guitard, adding the family was touched by the community support, thoughts and prayers they received.
Guitard’s daughter, Maddie, and fellow student Angelina Luce both received serious head injuries in the accident and remain in Edmonton hospital for treatment.
“We’ve got a long road ahead of us, but we’re prepared for the fight,&” he said.
Auction organizers Brandi Frowen and Pam Bohn also offered thanks to the community for the overwhelming amount of support they received while collecting donations.
“So many people were so eager to help,&” said Bohn.
Some of the big ticket items sold at Sunday’s auction included a guitar autographed by Justin Bieber, which sold to a lady from Spruce Grove for $6,500. Another hot item at yesterday’s auction was two WestJet tickets to fly to any WestJet destination. The tickets were purchased first for $6,000, then donated back and resold for $3,000.
A quilt, donated by one of the Grade 6 students affected, was sold a total of five times, once in the silent auction and four times in the live auction, raising more than $2,500 for the affected families and an additional $3,600 for the Grade 6 class to use for some sort of field trip or fun event.
The quilt then went back to the student who donated it, Sidney Bespalko, who then donated it to one of her classmates who remains in hospital.
“It couldn’t have played out any better,&” said Bohn of the donated quilt. Like others, she took to social media to express her feelings afterward, describing the auction as “one of the most emotional and heartwarming events&” in which she had ever taken part.
