Event management students host virtual fundraiser for Candlelighters

The event management program wants you to catch a flight with them as they explore craft beer during an airline-themed fundraiser online March 20.

The fundraiser is benefiting the Candlelighters, a childhood cancer support program.

The students decided on an airline theme to play on the flights of craft beer you would sample if you were at a brewery.

Middlé Lemoine, 33, a student in the event management program, has already completed post-grad work and was looking to develop her skill set in events.

“We were thinking about what we were passionate about and what are things we would do in our daily lives in a non-COVID place,” said Lemoine. “We would be going out with our friends, we would be going to pubs, we would be experiencing new things around the city.”

Once the drink theme was chosen, the team quickly came up with a full itinerary of remote activities for participants to enjoy from the comfort of their own homes.

The event will start with a masterclass taught by a cicerone, a second-level beer expert, who will teach attendees about the different components of beer.

“After that we have two breweries coming in to tell you about each beer that they are showing,” said Geneviève McAllister, 24. “Then we have a chef component who will tell you how to pair the breweries beer with what types of food.”

Be prepared to test your memory at the end of the evening.

“Then we tie it all together with some pop culture trivia, to put your knowledge to the test and see how much you learned throughout the night,” said McAllister.

Cristina Mondragón oversees the social media for the event and is amazed at how well fundraising has kicked off with their silent auction.

“I’m very excited because we’re getting a lot of traction during the past few weeks,” said Mondragón. “We’ve already started collecting money for Candlelighters. In the model of giving to people who need it most, Candlelighters have not been able to host all the events they regularly would. This kind of event is helping them raise money for the cause.”

One of the ways the charity supports families is by offering to pay for parking passes when patients are having appointments.

“It sounds sad to talk about, but it’s a thing that not a lot of people know about,” said McAllister. “It goes so far past a cancer diagnosis. There are extra things that families have to take on. Of course they try to connect them with counselling and other things. It’s not as obvious unless you’ve been through the situation.”

During the event there will be videos featuring families who have benefited from the support of the charity.

The goal is to raise $1000 for the charity through a silent auction offering prizes like gift cards, his-and her-watches and merchandise from breweries.

The event takes place March 20 at 6:30 p.m. and the silent auction closes at 9:30 p.m. the same night.