For聽 21 years, the Bellmen鈥檚 Auction has united the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge and Jasper, all in the name of charity.
The tradition began when JPL bellman Tim Melanson, now guest services manager, noticed a divide between the lodge and the town.
鈥淚 realized that there was a bit of a rift between being a 鈥榯ownie鈥� and a 鈥榣odgie鈥� and that really bothered me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 thought we should organize a formal fundraiser and put something back into the community.鈥�
The first year raised $1,300 and last year鈥檚 event raised more than $27,000, which saw the 20-year total surpass $500,000.
Every year the funds raised are donated to different causes in the community. 鈥淲hat [the auction] allowed us to do as a non-profit group is really just go to whoever we thought needed money, or whoever was asking and give it to them without a lot of red tape.鈥�
Funds have also been used to help people who have lost their parents open trust funds, and help students attend certain events.
As much as organizers help put together the event, it鈥檚 the people and businesses that continuously give that keep this event going, said Melanson. 鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing to me the people who gave the money that they did, went out of business, and still honoured their commitment.鈥�
Throughout the years, the stigma of being at the lodge or being in town has gone away, he adds.
鈥淭hat funny thing where everybody is arguing about what a 鈥榣ocal鈥� is, it is somebody who puts something back into this town, somebody that cares enough to volunteer.鈥�
This year鈥檚 Bellmen鈥檚 Auction takes place on July 20 with a barbecue at 8 p.m. at Le Pub, located at JPL鈥檚 old staff accommodation. The Jasper Brewing Company is supplying beer. Entry is free and the live auction begins at 10 p.m. with returning auctioneer Doug McPhee.
Some of the auction items include a trip to Edmonton with gold tickets for any Oilers game, donated by the Athabasca Hotel; Electra Townie bikes; and Banff, Lake Louise and Vancouver trips courtesy of the Fairmont.
For more information, contact organizer Matt Figueira at [email protected].
Sarah Makowsky
[email protected]
