Less Than 2 Weeks to Go!!!!

With less than two weeks to go, preparation for the playground at Annie Williams Memorial Park has already begun! A big Thank you to Coote, Hiley, Jemmett for surveying the area and to Wes Finch & Sons for their generous donations for site preparation.  Build Day coming fast and we still need about 40 more volunteers to help assemble the playground.  Grab your friends and family and tell them how to sign up, just click the "Join the Effort" button on the screen.  The people of Bracebridge have been awesome, the donations have been coming in, but we still need approximately $15000 to reach our goal and we don't want to have to leave out any parts of the playground.  Thanks to all who have shown your support!

The All Out Obstacle Course fundraiser at the Muskoka Beerfest was a great success!  We are pleased to announce that the Rotary Team of Greg Hammond, Bruce Reville, Nicole Binsted and Kim Rixon are the All-Out Obstacle Undefeated Champions! Go Rotary Go!





Our team will be selling hot dogs at Gagnon's YIG this coming Saturday September 3rd, between 11 am to 2 pm in a final push to our $100,000 goal. Please come out and support this event!

The community support and spirit that we are all experiencing from this initiative is absolutely incredible. The whole community is winning from this, but it will be the smiles on the children's faces on September 10th, that will make this all worthwhile.

Scotiabank Spaghetti Dinner a Great Success!

Wednesday Night's Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser was a great success! People were lined up and Scotiabank staff did an excellent job of coordinating and pulling off a delicious and fun evening. They surpassed their goal and raised $5618.00 and Scotiabank added $5,000 to the total, for an astounding total of $10,618, which will be donated to the Annie Williams Memorial Park Extreme Makeover!!!

The Silent auction, which was coordinated by Jaclyne Laurin, contributed over $1000 to this event.  Jaclyne stepped forward, solicited and collected all items for auction, ran the entire auction, followed up with getting the items to the winning bidders and collecting the money. A tremendous effort on her part!  Thank you Jaclyne!!!! 

Thanks to all the Scotiabank employees that helped make this event a tremendous success.  The community really appreciates your efforts!

Interview with Ian Hill and Cathryn Willard

Rotary Clubs of Bracebridge and Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes donate a combined total of $15,000!!!!

Friday, August 19 was a fantastic day for Annie Williams Memorial Park. A very BIG THANK YOU to the Rotary Club of Bracebridge for their generous donation of $10,000!!! Fantastic! And a BIG THANK YOU as well to the Rotary Club of Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes for their generous donation of $5,0000!! Always great supporters of Annie Williams Memorial Park, Rotarians are always willing to step up and participate in community projects. We look forward to seeing lots of Rotarians out on September 10 helping make our dream a reality. If you know a Rotarian - make sure you say "thanks for supporting our Park!"

Annie Williams Memorial Park Playground Has a New Name!

MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 16, 2011
New Playground in Annie Williams Memorial Park to be Named “The Brazier Family Playground”
BRACEBRIDGE, ONT
Mayor Graydon Smith and Cathryn Willard, Chair of the Annie Williams Memorial Park Board are pleased to announce that the new playground to be constructed through the “Let Them Be Kids” – Extreme Makeover at the Annie Williams Park, will be named “The Brazier Family Playground"

It was announced on May 23rd that Let Them be Kids” (LTBK), a charitable organization that joins with communities across the country creating and improving playground spaces, had selected the park as one of its 2011 community projects. LTBK will match each dollar raised by the community for new playground equipment.

As has happened with other LTBK projects across Canada, the Park Board has decided to recognize the many men and women who have sacrificed for their country through service in the Canadian Armed Forces. For the Bracebridge project, the Park Board decided to name the playground in honour of the Brazier family.

William and Agnes Brazier and their nine children (Ed, Art, Bus, Percy, Victor, Bob, Charlie and George Brazier and their younger sister Mabel) were a close-knit family, well-known to the residents of Bracebridge. Several of the boys were local legends widely recognized for their hockey prowess.

During World War I, William Brazier served in the famous 122nd Muskoka Battalion. Agnes Brazier known as "Ma" Brazier, is remembered for her determined support for her family. In 1939 during World War II, seven of the boys, Ed, Bus, Percy, Victor, Robert, Charlie and George, the youngest who was only 15 at the time, voluntarily enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces. Extraordinarily, after serving overseas in many dangerous encounters, ALL SEVEN boys returned safely home to Bracebridge after the war. The new playground at Annie Williams Memorial Park is to be named in recognition of the dedication of the Brazier family, in honour of those who served and returned and in tribute to all those who supported and sacrificed for Canada. The dedication of the new playground will take place on September 10, 2011 as part of the Annie Williams Memorial Park Extreme Make-over

Anyone looking to volunteer with this project or make a donation can sign-up and learn more at www.ltbk.bracebridge.ca or by emailing anniewilliamspark@gmail.com. Everyone is invited to help honour and remember the Brazier family and all those who have given so much for the people of Bracebridge.

"Let Them Be Kids" is a volunteer, non-profit organization created to build community capacity at the grassroots level; while building playgrounds, skate parks and fitness parks across Canada. These projects leave a legacy of community members who are inspired and better equipped to lay a strong foundation for a brighter tomorrow.

For further information regarding the Annie Williams Memorial Park Extreme Makeover contact:
• Mayor Graydon Smith, (705) 645-5264
• Cathryn Willard, Chair, Annie Williams Memorial Park Board (705) 644-3235

About Bracebridge
The Town of Bracebridge is Muskoka’s fastest growing urban municipality with a current population of over 15,600 that increases to over 30,000 during the summer months. Bracebridge, “the Heart of Muskoka”, offers citizens a unique quality of life through its location in the centre of Muskoka, a world-renowned pristine natural environment. The community has a diversified economic base with numerous educational, social, recreational and cultural resources. The Town is positioned on the 45th parallel, halfway between the Equator and the North Pole, and is recognized as Santa’s summer home.

Keep August 24th Open for Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser !

Scotiabank Bracebridge is sponsoring a fundraiser for the Annie Williams Park Extreme Makeover on Wednesday August 24th.
 

Please come and bring your friends and family.


Tickets are $20.00 and for every dollar earned from the Spaghetti Dinner, Scotiabank will match the funds up to a maximum of $5,000!!!The Spaghetti Dinner is being served at the Rotary Youth Centre from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. and tickets are available at the door and are on sale at the Scotiabank Bracebridge.

Benjamin's Lemonade Stand

Benjamin Willard, age 7, held a Lemonade Stand Fundraiser for the Park on Saturday, July 30th. Selling lemonade, water, freeze-pops and cookies. He raised an amazing $197.64, and in addition inspired one neighbour to contribute $100 and two other neighbours to sign up as volunteers on Sept 10. Well done Benjamin!

Affordable Family Entertainment!

Prism Theatre presents Taming of the Shrew at Annie Williams Memorial Park

August 9-13 and August 16-18 beginning at 7 pm

Tickets $5

Proceeds from all beverage sales will be donated to the Extreme Makeover at Annie Williams Memorial Park