And the Winners Are...

Well, we did it! You did it!!

Not only did we raise the $13,000 I set out as our goal for the Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter fundraiser for a new truck, but we actually raised a staggering $23,757.60 in the final five days!! As our totals climbed dramatically throughout the week, I was privy to some truly wonderful text messages and emails from the Shelter's founders, Peter and Angelika Langen:

3 hours into the fundraiser:
Angelika: "$2600 so far, I am speechless!!"

5 hours into the fundraiser, when we hit $3,000, meaning that Hauser Bears would automatically contribute an extra $15,000:
Angelika: "We did it!! We matched the challenge. Now we have $30,000+ towards a new truck, I am so excited if my leg didn't hurt so bad I'd be dancing! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

The first night, after we'd raised almost $5,000:
Angelika: "I am crying tears of joy, this is so exciting! Exciting may be a huge understatement!"

The second night, after another $2,000 in donations:
Angelika: "WOW, we are SO happy!!"

The third night, after yet another $2,000 in donations:
Angelika: "This is so amazing! We just can't believe it!"

On the final night:
Angelika: "We are over the goal! SO, SO awesome!! We did it!!"

So yes indeed, we ALL did it! The truck fundraiser as a whole, including the incredible matching contribution of $15,000 from the UK charity Hauser Bears, raised a whopping $54,254.14 (you can check out the entire breakdown here on the Shelter's website). This means that Angelika and Peter and their gang of incredible volunteers at the Shelter are going to have a new ride soon (they're currently in negotiations with a truck dealership in Prince George, British Columbia) and that the Shelter will continue to be able to save bears and other orphaned wildlife from across the province long into the future!

Your incredible support means that little guys like this will continue to receive help from the NLWS in the years to come!

Congratulations to everyone involved, especially to those of you that donated directly or were able to share the fundraiser contest on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram.

Here is a comprehensive list of all of the winners of the various prizes we had up for grabs in the fundraiser. If you see your name on this list, please contact me directly via email so that we can arrange your prize details.

Grand Prize Winner -- A Trip for Two for the Great Bear Chalet in Bella Coola, BC
(thank you once again to Jefferson Bray and the Great Bear Chalet for this incredible prize!)
Marcella Kyrein - Prince George, BC

A Day in the Field Photographing with John E. Marriott (to the highest donation):
Esther Snow - Cranbrook, BC

A Day's Private Visit at NLWS (a prize we added for the second highest donation):
Daniella Kohl - Miami, Florida

30"x45" Glossy Acrylic Print of 'All in the Family' by John E. Marriott
Gregory Heath - Calgary, AB

One Full Set of signed and personalized Coffee Table Books by John E. Marriott
Lorelei Stevenson - Cranbrook, BC

12"x18" Glossy Print of 'Grizz Family Bums' by Cai Priestley
Susan Macdonald - Livingston, West Lothian, UK

12"x18" Glossy Print of 'Startled Cub' by Cai Priestley
Jane Potter - Calgary, AB

12"x18" Stretched Canvas of 'Tuxedo Cubs' by Brandon T. Brown
Margaret Johnson - Maple Ridge, BC

12"x18" Stretched Canvas of 'Mister Mud' by Brandon T. Brown
Rosa Jongsma - High Level, AB

16"x24" Glossy Print of any of John E. Marriott's grizzly bear images -- your choice!
Dawn Minerick - Republic, Michigan

16"x24" Glossy Print of any of John E. Marriott's grizzly bear images -- your choice!
Loretta Stadler Franklin Lakes, NJ

24"x36" Glossy Print of any of John E. Marriott's grizzly bear images -- your choice!
Marlie Kelsey - Chemainus, BC

24"x36" Glossy Print of any of John E. Marriott's grizzly bear images -- your choice!
Heather Sapergia - Prince George, BC

Angelika at the NLWS also had this to add to the prize pile:
"We had many donations that did not meet the $50 mark, nevertheless your support is very important and much appreciated. To show our gratitude for all of these smaller donations that added up to a very large amount, we decided to have a special draw for a 16"x24" glossy print of any of John Marriott's grizzly bear images (your choice) out of all of the donations we received of less than $50!"

Special Draw Winner, 16"x24" Glossy Print by John E. Marriott
Tammy Vanderwijk - Grande Prairie, AB

Thank you once again, everyone, I don't think any of us could have imagined that the fundraiser would be so successful!

Labels: , , , ,