Centre de pédiatrie sociale en communauté Main dans la Main, a non-profit social pediatrics centre in Cowansville that supports the development of vulnerable children between 0 and 18-years-old and their families in Brome-Missisquoi, is in the midst of its ninth Guignolée Dr. Julien. Guignolée Dr. Julien is an annual fundraiser that all social pediatric clinics that fall under the Foundation du Dr. Julien take part in to raise funds that go towards supporting the services, activities, and initiatives of each individual centre. This year, Main dans la Main is experiencing one of its best fundraisers yet.
Volunteers hit the streets on Dec. 11 and in collaboration with merchants in the region, they collected over $40,000, and that number is expected to grow as the fundraiser is only set to conclude on Jan. 15.
“This is our ninth year doing it, we have been doing it since our opening day in 2013,” said Dr Anne Rouleau, of Main dans la Main. “It happens across Quebec and each centre does the fundraiser on the same day, usually the second Saturday of December. All the money raised stays with that centre. We are happy because last year we weren’t able to go in the streets with the pandemic, but this year we were able to return to the streets and collect money.”
Around 130 volunteers participated in the fundraiser this year and various merchants across Brome-Missisquoi chipped in by raising funds in their business establishments. “It was a lot. We had volunteers in Sutton, Bedford, Farnham, Dunham, Bromont, Cowansville, and Lac-Brome and 60 per cent of them were in the streets. All the employees at Main dans la Main were there that day; there were volunteers that have been with us for a long time, and volunteers that came particularly for the fundraiser.”
Despite the rain that day, over $40,000 has been raised so far. “I was very impressed by the generosity of people and the volunteers. It signifies how important the organization is for the region and we are starting to be more known. It’s going really well and I am really happy about that.”
Main dans la Main is currently providing services to nearly 320 children in Brome-Missisquoi and the fundraiser helps support what the group already has set in place, like zootherapy, but it also allows it to expand its services, like providing more art therapy. “The funds will serve various things. It will serve the activities that we organize for children and will also be used for certain services, like a psychologist, that aren’t really present in the community and that children need to go private for. They don’t have the money for that and we want to help them.”
These funds will also help in hiring the professionals that are needed to support its clientele. “We hope to hire a special educator within the next year, that is precious for our group. We have one that is bombarded that will help with group activities, but we need an intervener. We would like to provide direct care to children.”
Guignolée Dr. Julien will take place until Jan. 15. Donations can be made to Main dans la Main’s website at https://cpscmaindanslamain.org/en/give/
A cheque can also be dropped off at the centre or sent out by mail to:
Nesbitt House
215, rue du Sud
Cowansville (Qc) J2K 2X5
3rd floor
