By CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
COBDEN — “It was more than I ever expected,” said Susan Gilchrist, adding, “It was awesome. It was well attended.”
Ms. Gilchrist was talking about the first Big Give held Saturday at the Astrolabe Arena in Cobden. This event saw five churches host a free event for anyone who wanted to get free things, such as clothing, blankets, household items, haircuts, nails done, listen to music, watch a puppet show, enjoy a barbecued hot dog, muffin, coffee or play children’s games, and much more. The total ice surface of the arena was used, as well as various areas outside to do the barbecuing and children’s games.
A committee made up of parishioners from the churches – Grace United, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian, Whitewater Wesleyan Community, St. Paul’s and the Pentecostal – have been meeting since late winter organizing the event. The main committee members were Ms. Gilchrist, Doris Reaney and Laurie Briscoe. They each had their own teams which helped with the organization of such a large event.
Ms. Gilchrist said churches often hold fundraisers, hoping the community will support them. This was an event where the church could help those in the community.
All the items were donated, she said.
“There was an amazing amount of stuff,” said Ms. Briscoe. “I thought we would fill one end of the arena. I never imagined we would fill the place.”
Ms. Gilchrist added, “You know the saying, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.”
She noted while there was no way to do an exact count, it was estimated that about 1,000 people attended the four-hour event.
“When the doors opened, within about 15 minutes, there had to have been at least 300 people inside,” she said.
While it was great to see the people taking things home, Ms. Gilchrist said she knows of two young families who were able to furnish their cottages by attending the event.
There was also a man who had been staying at the Cobden Park who was hoping to get a sleeping bag. He showed up at the event a day early, and did not go away empty handed, she said.
On Saturday, he was there again, and this time he offered to help wherever he could.
“Who knows what we did for that fellow,” she said. “He may have been the neediest, but he still offered to help.”
People want to give back, Ms. Gilchrist said.
While the volunteers were tired after the event, and no formal meeting has yet taken place, Ms. Gilchrist is sure this event will be held next year – again on the first Saturday in June.
“The general consensus is we’ll do it again, but we’ll try and plan something different,” she said.
