Charities- Port Colborne Operatic Society

Charities Supported

WHAT HAVE WE DONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY?

In the beginning (1945) all proceeds went towards the Port Hospital…zeroed in on the pediatrics ward: - Cash $1,850.00

1960-62 Cash $1,850.00

1964 Endowment 4-bed ward - $600

1965 Pledge Pediatrics wing $3,250.00

paid in full by 1972

1960-70 Supplied 3 televisions (plus maintenance); provided play pens; child size wheelchair;

baby tendas; toy bar (replenished each year); Replaced TVs with four (4) brand new ones. One (1) room endowment; plus $500 cash; Hospital Auxiliary - table and chairs

1974 Book truck for hospital use

1998 to current year - Annual Memorial String of Lights

JUNIOR HOCKEY:

1973 - Junior "C" Swords - $1,500 to save franchise

SPECIAL ONE TIME

1968 $100 - Centennial Choir to purchase music

1963 $ 50 - Recreational Children's Band

1982 $ 50 - N-Tec (Mentally Challenged)

1982 $500 - Jaws of Life Volunteer Fire Dept

1983 $100 - Don Booth (Save our School)

1987 $250 - Hi-Steppers Baton-trip to the Nationals
1987 $100 - Purchase Piano - Dunnville School

1988 $250 - Purchase Music P.C. Chorale Choir

1988 $100 - Sisters of Sacred Heart

1992 $100 - Children's Culture and Art Center

1992 $250 - Bethel Neighborhood Rec Playground

1992 $200 - Victoria Park Playground equipment

1993 $1,000 -Niagara Peninsula Children Rehab Center

1994 $500 - John Howard Society Leadership Program

1995 $100 - Summer Park concerts – Bandshell

1996 $100 - Fresh Air Fund

2013 $200 – Special Needs Children (TASC Niagara)

LENDING A HAND IN OUR COMMUNITY....

2000 $ 100 - Lynton Davies Air Cadets Anniversary

2001 $ 250 - Comettes Ladies Fastball trip to Eastern Canadian Championships

INDIVIDUALS:

1973 $200 -World Girl Guide Camp (C. Ellsworth)

1974 $730 - World Gymnastics (Harry Wells- S.Africa)

1984 $300 - Melissa LaPlante Fund (Health)

1985 $200 - Operation Raleigh (Paul Fans)

1991 $350 - Special Needs mobile chair (B.VanHengstrum)

1991 $500 - Victor Goyak (Cancer Patient)

1992 $100 - Carrie Pinard Scholarship Fund

1996 $100 - Amy Saracino -Audition in Florida

ONGOING SPECIAL DRIVES:

1961-1970 Needy Family Fund $100 - Each Christmas

1961-1994 Fire Dept May 24th Fireworks $100 annually

1972- 2013 Salvation Army Needy Family Fund $150 to $250(annually)

1985--2013 Santa's Helpers - annually $150 to $250

1986-1995 Kids Camp annually $250 to $500

1987 Donation $1,000 - Port Colborne Nautical Museum

1989 & 1998 Donation $400 - Port Colborne Marine Rescue

1992- 2013 Donations $1,450 - Christianview Centre

(plus collect food at Christmas time annually)

2008-2010 Donation $550 - Help a Child Smile

2009 Donation $100. Heart & Stroke (Big Bike)

PORT COLBORNE PUBLIC LIBRARY:

1980 Donation $100 -Children's Authors Day

1984 Donation $500 -Purchase children's tapes/record

1986 Donation $1,000 - Buy a Brick Building Drive

1996 Donation $500 -Renovations Library Building

OUR HIGH SCHOOLS

1974 – 2013 ( 36 yrs) $100 Scholarships each school ($7,900.)

1970 gift of Grand Piano (Lockview) $2,000

1975 Donation $100 to Port High Concert Band

1973 Carpeted rooms understage ($1,000)

1983 New Electric circuits stage area $200

1995&2000 Donation $350 Lakeshore Concert Band

1977-99 Student Council Lakeshore $2,750 parking cars

1977-99 Student Council - had concessions, coat check, refreshments

1984&86 Sea Cadets $400 - park cars

1984&87 Air Cadets $400 - park cars

2010 OSAID (Lakeshore) $150.

SPECIAL PROJECTS:

Toronto Sick Children’s Hospital - The Society is a“Blue Ribbon” Donor to the Toronto Sick Children’s Hospital.- Society is a BLUE RIBBON SPONSOR.

(When Port Hospital closed its pediatrics wing we turned to Sick Children's Hospital) Donation of over $10,000 1993 to 2013.

Annual Port Colborne Festival of the Arts

In 1988 in conjunction with the local music teachers the society donated all operating funds to revive the "Music Festival" competition. For two years the Society picked up all expenses until they could stand alone. To this day we sponsor a day at the Festival ($500) and offer 4 $100 scholarships annually. As of March 31st, 2013 the Society has donated a total of $ 24,759.01 to this Festival that encourages young musical talent. The Society now sponsors one day of the festival and provides four awards - Senior Vocalist, Junior Choir, Choral Speaking and Top Senior Dancer Tap/Jazz.

Senior Vocalist

1988 - Brendon Fletcher

1989 - Brendon Fletcher

1990 - Brendon Fletcher

1991 - Jennifer Zutt

1992 - Jennifer Zutt

1993 - Celeste Jamieson

1994 - Jennifer Zutt

1995 - Jennifer Zutt

1996 - Sandra Krstin

1997 - Teresa Benincasa

1998 - Bonnie Ehrhardt

1999 - Jordie Smits

2000 - Jordie Smits

2001 - Jordie Smits

2002 - Misty Canaski

2003 - Marc Richard

2004 - Misty Canaski

2005 - Benjamin Gillespie

2006 - Holly Bonin

2007 - Katrina Bruch

2008 - Loris lsabettini

2009 - Thomas Ciolfi

2010 - Rachel Bruch

2011 - Rachel Bruch

2012 - Galvin Daiglish

Junior Choir

1988 - Winger School

1989 - DeWitt Carter

1990 - CMT School

1991 - Humberstone School

1992 - McKay School

1993 - McKay School

1994 - McKay School

1995- Cardinal Newman School

1996 - McKay School

1997 - Humberstone School

1998 - McKay School

1999 - McKay School

2000 - McKay School

2001 - A.K. Wigg School

2002 - A.K. Wigg School

2003 - Carleton School

2004 - Loretta School

2005 - Carleton School

2006 - Carleton School

2007 - St. Ann’s School

2008 - Glynn A. Green School

2009 - St. Antoinette School

2010 - McKay School

2011 - A.K. Wigg Public School

2012 - A.K. Wigg Public School

Choral Speaking

2001 - Melissa Bilodeau

2002 - Katelyn Airhardt

2003 - Sarah Potts

2003 - Katelyn Airhardt

2004 - Vanessa Vella

2005 - Vanessa Vella

2006 - Noah Fuaco

2007 - Vanessa Vella

2008 - Vanessa Vella

2009 - Nikki Sohi

2010 - Nikki Sohi

2011 - Michaela Bodis and Meaghan Riedke

2012 - Individual Verse Speaking (10-11 yrs.) – Autumn Chevrette

Top Senior Dancer Jazz/Tap

2009 - Maurina Lenieu Dunnville Dance Center

2010 - Maurina Lenieu Dunnville Dance Center

2011 - Maurina Lenieu Dunnville Dance Center

2012 - Senior tap or jazz solo dance competition – Blake Feuz from Miss Bev’s Dance Studio, Niagara Falls, New York

ROBERT WOOD SINGERS: was founded in 1968 as an ancillary group to our Society in the off season. For two years this well known choir was financially and personnel supported by this Society exclusively.

NEW

"HAVE A HEART" CAMPAIGN - Children's Center - $200.00

"BICYCLE RIDE FOR CANCER" - Via Joe Zack - $200.00 (at $1 a km)

PCOS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP $500 each

1997 Amy Saracino

1999 Nicholas Watson

2002 W. M. J. Mowat

2004 Joey Crawford, Leslie Gaverluk, Jordan Snider

2005 Clayton Vella & Matt Dempsey

2008 Krista Gaverluk

2009 Tori Pittman

2013 Cameron Biller