President’s Report
Anna Maier
December, 2024
It is my pleasure to share with you the 2024 CHAS President’s Report, celebrating our fundraising results and the continuing impact on children and their families.
Easter Party
The Easter Party hosted by CHAS and The Alberta Children’s Hospital was back to full capacity and took place on March 28. Thanks to our co-chairs, Ellen Brawn and Louisa Powell, the event was a great success, and many children can’t wait for the 2025 Easter Party.
Honorary Life Membership
The HLM Committee met again in May this year to discuss some of the members’ volunteering and their dedication to CHAS. After a very diligent review of CHAS nominees, our Honorary Life Membership Committee agreed to nominate Toshimi Sembo to receive the HLM Pin at the June meeting at The Glencoe Golf & Country Club.
Congratulations to Toshimi!
CHAS Video Project
The creation of our CHAS video, which was decided by the membership to be a vital aspect of our marketing, has taken two years and hundreds of hours to complete.
Thank you to Natasha Richardson, Deborah Korpach, Geri Moon, and the External Committee for executing this big and important task. The purpose is to provide a quick and impactful overview of who CHAS is and the legacy of giving.
A big thank you goes to the Alberta Provincial Government and its Alberta Initiatives Program, Talking Light Media, and Story Foundry for funding the cost of making the video.
Barb Higgins as the narrator was a bonus, and we appreciate it!
Guest Speaker’s Brunch
In response to numerous requests from our supporters and members, we were excited to bring back the Guest Speaker’s Brunch, held on June 22 at The Glencoe Club.
With nearly 100 attendees, the event received overwhelmingly positive feedback, and many have expressed interest in making the Guest Speaker’s Brunch an annual tradition.
Thank you to Dianne Ferguson and her committee for executing this event impeccably, despite the short notice for organization.
42nd Annual Charity Golf Classic
The 42nd Annual Charity Golf Classic took place at Silver Springs Golf & Country Club on August 15. Golfers enjoyed a relaxed atmosphere with a mix of longtime supporters and many new participants.
Thank you, Glenys Ryan and Joyce Laidlaw, for stepping in to help as co-chairs when we needed you most. You inspired all of us!
The event raised a total of $237,000, which included proceeds from the Make CHAS an Offer, a raffle, and a generous $121,000 donation from Rob Laidlaw’s Best Damn Stampede Party. We are incredibly grateful for all the contributions and support.
Proceeds benefited the redesign and rebuild of the playground spaces at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, as well as other projects assisting youth in our community.
Bridge & Games Luncheon
CHAS’ Annual Bridge & Games Luncheon took place on October 15 at The Calgary Golf & Country Club. The 2024 recipient was Helping Families Handle Cancer.
It was a great opportunity to enjoy a game while reconnecting with friends. We sold 33 Bridge tables and 3 for Mah-jong.
Thank you, Donna Waraksa and Marlene Lenstra. Your efforts are truly valued.
CHAS Holiday Luncheon
CHAS continues to honour what has long defined us: a deep sense of care and respect for others. There are few people as determined as Mary McPhee and Lorna Hamm to follow this.
They were both exceptionally dedicated and committed to organizing the CHAS Holiday Luncheon with the help of their organizing committee. This event took place at Heritage Park on December 9, 2024, and was almost sold out in one day.
It supported a very meaningful cause—the Calgary Police Youth Foundation and its Integrated School Support Program (ISSP).
The commitment to donate $50,000 to ISSP and the impressive total generated net profit of $160,000 was achieved thanks to Mary, Lorna, and the committee members’ hard work.
They all went above and beyond.
Additional Events & Recognition
The Coffee Party at Marg’s house on October 7 was a great way for many new CHAS members to meet informally and really get a feel for who we are and what we do.
The social luncheons for members were positively welcomed, and we all look forward to their continuation. Thank you, Marg!
A small group of executive members joined another women’s group for their Holiday Luncheon at the Palliser Hotel. The purpose was to learn what other groups are doing and explore possible collaboration in the future.
CHAS was acknowledged by David Parker in the Calgary Herald, recognizing our 115-year tradition of serving Calgary kids in need. The article was very informative and brought attention to many readers.
I will continue to communicate and stay in touch with both Scene and Avenue Calgary Magazines to include another informative segment on CHAS and its past and future events.
AREA Silent Auction
Our two members, Lorna Hamm and Wendy Morrow, who are also members of The Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA), worked all year to organize a silent auction at the upscale conference in Banff with approximately 1,100 attendees. This event was scheduled for January 2025, and the proceeds were to support CHAS.
We are thankful for Lorna and Wendy’s hard work and grateful for the additional support.
CHAS Fundraising Impact in 2024
I’m pleased to advise everyone that CHAS was able to distribute a total of $512,850 in 2024.
$382,850 was donated to 36 community agencies
A cheque for $50,000 was presented to I Can for Kids in January 2024, raised through a Holiday Luncheon in December 2023
$125,000 was presented to Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, with proceeds from the Golf Tournament helping with playground improvements at ACHF and Rotary Flames
$10,000 was allocated to support Helping Families Handle Cancer, raised through the Bridge & Games Luncheon
Acknowledgments
It is very important to acknowledge our key members who spent many hours keeping CHAS in great shape with its future in mind.
Thank you all for keeping us in a strong financial position, ensuring internal, external, and marketing communication is effective, organizing fundraising events with attention to detail, reviewing and presenting requests, filling volunteer needs, preparing our meeting space, storing and updating documents, preserving our history, maintaining a vibrant membership, managing the nomination list, and keeping our social media updated.
This is a long list, and we should all be proud of what we can do together.
Remembering Rob Laidlaw
CHAS members were very saddened to hear of Rob Laidlaw’s passing in January 2025.
He was a wonderful husband to our friend and CHAS member, Joyce Laidlaw, and father to Alex and Ryan.
Rob was a very generous supporter of CHAS, and we will all miss him tremendously.
Dear Joyce, you can count on our help and support, a phone call, and a knock on your door again. Our hearts are deeply with you in this difficult time.
Looking Ahead
As I reflect on the past year, I am both proud and grateful for the remarkable achievements we have accomplished together.
Your participation and support are invaluable. I also appreciate the trust and confidence our donors and supporters placed in us.
My best wishes to you all for an equally exciting, meaningful, and productive year ahead.
I am grateful for Marg Traboulsi’s continued leadership and confident that the future of CHAS looks bright.
Respectfully,
Anna Maier
President 2024