Oscar party here on Sunday
By Bobinec, Greg on February 8, 2020.
Greg Bobinec
Lethbridge Herald
With the best movies of the year on display this weekend for the annual Academy Awards show, a Lethbridge group is hosting its seventh annual Oscar Party to help raise funds for a local organization.
The Lethbridge Oscar Party started as an event to bring movie and award show enthusiasts together for an evening of celebration. For the last few years, the event has changed direction to help local groups such as Lethbridge Pride Fest and YQueerL, and this year they are helping raise funds for the Covenant Foundation.
“It started as a way for people to come out and watch the Oscar ceremony and red carpet on the big screen together with other people,” says Dillon Hargreaves, event organizer. “It has developed into a fundraiser, as well. This is the first year that we are supporting the Covenant Foundation, and it is an opportunity to raise funds for a cause while also creating a sense of community and having a really fun time.”
During the evening, participants will be able to take part in a variety of activities from guessing who they think will take home Oscars, mini-games between commercial breaks, snacks, drinks and enjoying the company of the community.
“It starts with the red carpet at 4:30, so people can come and select which table they would like to sit at, and each table is assigned a film and so people can cheer for their film throughout the night and there is a good prize for which ever table with the film that wins the most awards,” says Hargreaves. “We have all sorts of games and different bingos and crosswords related to this year’s Oscars, and there is always something going on, so throughout all of the commercial breaks it is jam-packed with games, events, and tons of different prizes and awards for people.”
Half of the funds from ticket sales will go toward the Covenant Foundation, supporting St Michael’s Health Centre, St. Therese Villa and Martha’s House, as they continue to provide a variety of medical care to some of the community’s most vulnerable.
“Tickets are $10, half of that goes towards Covenant Foundation and the other half of it goes into a pool, and so each ticket contains a ballot of what they think will win in each category, and whoever has the best score at the end of the night will win that cash prize,” says Hargreaves. “We are really keeping the funds raised here in Lethbridge and here in Lethbridge Covenant provides tons of care, including seniors care and palliative end-of-life care, as well as long-term mental-health care, so they are doing a lot of great work in the community and it is a chance to help them have the chance to go above and beyond with their care.”
The annual Lethbridge Oscar Party will take place on Sunday at the Pure Casino Lethbridge, starting at 4:30 p.m. for the red carpet, and 6 p.m. for the award ceremony. Tickets can be purchased at Pure Casino Lethbridge, Drunken Sailor and online.
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