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! Charity auctioné a resounding success

- by Betty Barton

The R.E.M. Lee Hospital Foun- dation board is pleased to announce that the Gala Evening and Charity Auction held on Satur- day, June 16 at the Inn of the West

‘waS a resounding success. Over

200 people were in altendance. And the net proceeds of the night totalléd over $36,500, towards a CT scanner for Mills Memorial Hospital. The proceeds netted 25% higher than last year’s Roast and Auction. Last year’s ’roastee’ was Terrace freeman and area pioneer Bill McRae.

This year, Terrace was honoured with the presence of Dr. R.E.M. Lee and world-renowned artist Roy Vickers at the Hospital Foundation

Gala Evening and Charity Auction.

The Foundation was named after

and in honour of Dr. Lee, a former

Terrace resident and surgeon at Mills Memorial Hospital. In his speech, Dr. Lee said, “It’s been nearly three years since I laid down my scalpel and left Terrace. You have made my fondest wish come true; thank you very much."

Roy Vickers, who grew up in

this area, was commissioned by the Foundation to paint a scene of this area, The chosen locale was Kit-

_selas Canyon. Vickers described "his helicopter trip into the Canyon

to photograph the area, from which fo paint the artwork, "It was the -

most inspirational day of my short

; career! I’m glad that day gave me _the inspiration -. touching the’ ‘petroglyphs, feeling the memories.

Those stories have occupied a place in my mind. It was exciting to go back to my studio on

_, Vancouver Island and start the ' work, but it was ‘Seaty. It meant so

much." '° -

The ‘original acrylic painting entitled "Kitselas" was unveiled at the Gala. Two of the fifty Limited edition prints were auctioned that evening and netted $4400, Forty- seven of the prints are generously being sold, courtesy of Malt and Kay Ehses at Northern Lights Studio. The full price of $1200 for

each print will go to the R.E.M..

Lee Hospital Foundation. As of last. Monday afternoon, sixteen of the "Kitselas" prints had been sold.

‘The original artwork is also on

display at Northern Lights Studio, if anyone would like to view it or bid on it.

New Foundation president Mar- laine Webber would like to see the painting stay in the area, but says, "We have to be mercenary because fundraising for the CT scanner is of utmost importance." The Foun- dation board of directors is pre- sently in the process of finalizing plans for the ‘sate of the Vickers work. Interested bidders should contact Michael Leisinger, CEO, at Mills Memorial Hospital.

A lively cocktail hour, delicious dinner and pre-auction entertain- ment, which included local singer Tina Hovenkamp accompanied by pianist Jose Coosmans, and a short skit parodying the Board of Direc- tors rounded off the pre-auction portion of the evening. The MC for the evening was "semi-pro- fessional MC" Doug Smith, with anecdotes and fundraisers of his own that bamboozled the most light-fisted of guesis.

Guests had plenty of time to peruse the unique and creative auction items including Alaskan beer, Cree birch bark biting, an ammonite fossil more than 65 million years old (extinct group of mollusks), a petrified wood oma- ment (approximately 150 million years old), an argillite totem pole and works of art by numerous local artists. Auctioneer Leo De- Jong cajoled and courted the guests to bid generously on the over fifty items.up for auction. .

Everyone present was enteriained and encouraged that'a CT scanner

will become reality: in’ the near future. Of the $600,000 required,

"$100,000 has been raised, with a further $120,000 expected by year-

end.

Canada Post

adds $5,000 to proceeds

The Board of the R.E.M. Lee Hospital Foundation is pleased to announce that Canada Post Corpor- ation has made a donation to the Foundation in the amount of $5000. This donation commemor- ates the death of Mrs. Dulcie Reay, a former Canada Post employee in Terrace.

These funds will go towards the purchase of the CT scanner for the Mills Memorial Hospital.

Terrace Review — Wednesday, June 27, 1990 B15

AUCTIONEER LEO DEJONG cajoled and courted the guests to bid generously at the R.E.M. Lee Hospital Foundation’s Charity Auction, held as a ‘fun fundraiser’ for a oT scanner at Mills Memorial

Hospital.

WORLD-RENOWNED ARTIST ROY VICKERS poses here with his most recent artistic creation. “Kitselas", commissioned by the R.E.M, Lee Hospital Foundation as one of the major attractions in their recent Gala Evening and Charity Auction.

ROD VERSTRATE, owner of the inn of the West, took over from auctioneer Leo _. DeJong to raise the ante for Mo Takhar's turban, Looking on are emces Doug Smith, OR. R.E.M. LEE and his wife Thelma retumed to Terrace for the auction and spent auctioneer DeJong, mayor Jack Talstra and Takhar,.At last year’s auction Talstra part of the evening sharing conversation with artist Roy Vickers and businessman

bought one of Mo's turbans, but he has: yet to receive the headgear.

Wayne Webber.