KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Last week’s Heart for Hospice Ball was the best fundraising event Hospice and Palliative Care of Kodiak has ever hosted. It was the third annual formal event the organization put on, and all total it raised more than $36,000.
Christy Kamai is the director of the hospice organization and said they mainly operate on donations and grants. Each year they must raise about $96,000 to keep up with the demands for care here in Kodiak, and that’s why they often look to big events like the ball for raising those funds. Kamai said they often rely a lot on sponsors, and many local businesses step up with donations for the event’s silent auction. This year they decided to start a new sustainability program – the society of 1,000.
“It hopes that individuals will be willing to contribute $1,000 a year to hospice. You know over the course of the year they can make payments or they can do a one time donation of $1,000. And we list those folks as a group, called society of 1,000.”
Kamai said a number of people have signed up to be in the society so far, and all of the donations will be made in honor of an individual each year. She said this year honored Mr. Bob Hatcher, who was able to attend the event.
Last week’s event sold out within four days of tickets going on sale, and included dinner and musical performances. Kamai said the High School’s FCCLA and FFA members donated their time and specialties to making the event a success, and they weren’t the only young ones supporting hospice care in Kodiak. She said an especially generous group of 11-year-olds were also present that night.
“And they call themselves kids for a cause. And they got together, they got on Facebook, they were asking for eight family members each to give $20, they did a bake sale at Safeway, they were making different projects, and the kids raised $2,300 so that they could be sponsors for hospice. And they were able to attend the event. They bought a table so they could sit, and they came dressed up. So we were able to acknowledge them as well as just being young kids in the community that really wanted to have a mission to support a good cause. So they received a standing ovation for the night of the event which was really spectacular.”
Kamai said overall it took a lot of hard-working, caring people to make the night a success, and she said it was definitely one of the organization’s better years for fundraising. She said the hope is to break it into two nights next year so more people will be able to attend.
In general, she said they accept donations year round, so those wanting to give shouldn’t feel like they need to attend the ball to do so. Likewise, she said they are always looking for folks to donate their time and become board members, especially if they can’t give financially.
