Pembina Counselling Centre hosted a unique fundraiser across the region on Saturday.
About 90 participants driving vehicles of all makes and models participated in the inaugural N49 Cruise for Hope, which began in Altona and wound through Gretna and Reinland before heading to Winkler for a car show and supper and then to Morden for a screening of Ford v Ferrari at the Stardust Drive-In.
Marshalling the parade of vehicles were police chiefs Dan Defer (Altona), Ryan Hunt (Winkler), and Brad Neduzak (Morden).
Albert Unrau from Winkler drove his 1960 Pontiac in the cruise, and said it was great to be a part of it.
“I think it’s a very worthwhile cause,” he said.
Morden-Winkler MLA Carrie Hiebert showed up in a 1997 Jeep Renegade.
“I think this is just great. It’s exciting to see all three communities get together and be so supportive for such a good cause. The counsellors there do so much for all our communities, so to be part of a joint fundraiser like this is just amazing.”
And while it was a blast to be part of the long cavalcade cruising down the highway, the event had a higher purpose: to support and raise awareness of a mental health organization that has seen tremendous growth and increasing demand for its services.
Pembina Counselling’s executive director Chris Derksen says the need just keeps rising. The number of appointments booked at the centre has skyrocketed from 2,200 in 2020 to over 5,000 expected by the end of this year.
“We’ve just experienced such tremendous growth,” he said. “When I started in 2019, we had three counselors. Today, we have nine counselors on staff, and we have a 10th counselor doing his practicum with us.”
However, with growth comes higher costs, and since the centre is a charity, it must rely on donations from the community to keep their costs low.
“We don’t want finances to be a barrier to anyone getting the help that they need. So, we decided to add another fundraiser to our calendar. We wanted to do something unique, and I think this qualifies,” Derksen said.
“This way the fundraising is not on the backs of the drivers, it’s on my back. I’m the one raising the money in the background. All they had to do was show up, register their vehicle, get their dinner, movie tickets, a T-shirt and they get a tax receipt for their donation. It was all this for just $100, and they’re supporting the community and getting families the help that they need.”
In the end, about $35,000 was raised thanks to corporate sponsorships and participant registrations.
“I would like to thank all the corporate sponsors for their generosity, all the drivers who participated in the event, and the community for their support,” Derksen said. “I’d also like to thank police chiefs Defer, Hunt and Naduzic for serving as our marshals for the cruise. Finally, I’d like to thank the good Lord for providing us with beautiful weather for the event.”
After 31 years of service in the community, Derksen said it’s incredible to meet people who have never heard of the Pembina Counselling Centre, and the services they provide.
“But that just goes to show that I have more work to do, and we want people to know that we are there for them in a crisis. We are there for the businesses as well. The employers that I know in this community care deeply for their employees and want to help them when they’re in crisis.”
He went on to say, “We all have our weaknesses and strengths and it’s okay. We want to help people get unstuck from the things that are dragging them down. Trouble does not discriminate from where you live, or who you are. It comes calling for us all at some point in our lives. But there’s help for you. We want to be there for the community and that’s why we do what we do.”
