There are only two days left until MeloTel’s Founder and CEO, John Meloche turns the big 4-0! All week long, the MeloTel Blog has been celebrating the big man’s impending milestone birthday by highlighting his philanthropic efforts. Instead of any presents, John is humbly requesting donations be made to WETRA (Windsor-Essex Therapeutic Riding Association).
As we’ve been noting in each of this week’s blogs, John’s Birthday Fundraiser is being hosted by Facebook. The hugely popular social media platform allows all of its users to select a charity to support in celebration of their birthdays. If you’ve been reading this week’s blogs, you know how important WETRA is to the Meloche family. John’s brother, Robb is an employee and John’s niece, Shaya is a direct recipient of WETRA’s services.
WETRA is home to therapy horses.
As CBC’s Land and Sea Network showcased in their short documentary entitled “Therapeutic Riding”, WETRA is a home away from home for people of all ages. A particularly special place for those who contend with physical, mental and emotional challenges, WETRA offers people in the Windsor-Essex, Ontario area the opportunity to ride their horses as a means of relaxation, peace and tranquility.
This year, John’s fundraiser seeks to further assist those who will find better peace of mind and happiness through riding horses. The therapeutic offerings of these wonderful animals have been well-documented for many years. In celebration of John’s birthday, and even more importantly, in support of those with special needs, we kindly invite you to donate whatever you can to John’s Birthday Fundraiser today.
Fundraising is an important way to support your communities.
Naturally, fundraising efforts are important because they raise money. There are numerous organizations – many of them non-profit – that greatly need funding in order to continue to offer their services to the public. However, fundraising is about more than donations. It’s about community-building.
On her consulting website, Karen Eber Davis explains that “the real treasure” of fundraising is growing a community of dedicated individuals. “Over time, you educate them about your cause and its importance,” she writes, “With encouragement, they become mission advocates in the larger community. Moreover, dedicated and knowledgeable individuals become a potential resource for your organization.”
Fundraising grows awareness for special causes.
In many cases, fundraising brings to light special causes that are often overlooked or unheard of. In fact, this week, the MeloTel team has been contacted by numerous individuals who mentioned that they never knew how effective horse riding was for people looking for ways to manage their physical, mental and emotional hardships.
“A fundraising event can help boost both awareness and donations,” affirms Paige Kutilek of GoFundMe, “Hosting events where people meet in person can help you begin to build a real community around your cause…A group of students decided to throw a volleyball tournament at their university to raise money for Off the Record, a charity dedicated to mental health. With this simple event, they were able to beat their fundraising goal.”
Donate to John’s Birthday Fundraiser HERE!
