Carhartts and Caviar Welding Raffle proves successful for Great Plains College

SUCCESS!

While the 9th annual Carhartts and Caviar Welding Showcase and Auction event looked a little different this year, the COVID-friendly raffle format yielded the same strong support for the college’s Welding program and Entrance Scholarship fund. The welding students and their instructor created three custom pieces and raffle tickets were sold throughout province for a chance to win. 

“We weren’t sure what to expect with the change in format for this fundraiser this year, but as always, the response from past supporters along with new ones across the province was fantastic,” said Dianne Sletten, donor services coordinator at Great Plains College. “We sold a total of 740 tickets, which raised $14,800 for the Welding program and Entrance Scholarships. … we are so grateful for the generous support in a trying year.” 

A live Facebook event was held March 31 to select the winners. The virtual event included an introduction to this year’s Welding students and greetings from the Honourable Everett Hindley, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health and the MLA for Swift Current, His Worship, Al Bridal, Mayor of Swift Current, David Keast, President and CEO of Great Plains College, and Kelly Silbernagel, Director of Business Development from S3 Enterprises, the event title sponsor for the fundraiser since 2016. 

The winners of this year’s auction pieces were Deb Gross, who was drawn for both the abstract metal wall art piece and the Saskatchewan-themed fire pit, and electrical alumna Paula Pilipow who won the grand prize custom river coffee table valued at $2,500. 

“Even though we weren’t able to run the full event like in previous years, creating these pieces was still a great learning experience for the students. They worked hard on the pieces and sold 189 tickets themselves for the raffle,” said Jared McKenzie, Welding instructor at Great Plains College. “They’re a great group and I couldn’t be more proud of the work they did to make this fundraiser such a success.” 

Great Plains College hopes to see the return of a live event for the 10th annual Carhartts and Caviar Welding Showcase and Auction event in 2022. 

Great Plains College would like to thank all the sponsors of the Carhartts and Caviar Welding Raffle — title sponsor S3 Enterprises, metal art sponsors Wheatland Machine Shop, Standard Motors and Nodge Manufacturing, Clothing Sponsors Honey Bee Manufacturing and MacMor Industries, and Paint Sponsor PDQ Autobody.

SUCCESS!MIRANDA HAUGHIAN