Bradford sisters, Sarah and Emily Dahlgren are back at it again with new fundraisers planned for 2021, starting with a special Mother’s Day-themed silent auction to help support the victims of the recent Bradford apartment fire.
After taking a break from their successful Christmas fundraiser which raised $51,974.45 for the Helping Hand Food Bank, the sisters decided to host several smaller fundraisers this year to spread out their campaign and support others who are in need during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
“It’s very important to us to continue to give back to the community,” notes Emily, who does most of the social media for ‘A Bradford Christmas’. “We talked about what to do this year and our hope is to do many fundraisers to help many different causes instead of one big cause.”
The Mother's Day silent auction runs from April 12 – 19 and features products and services from over 80 local businesses. Some of the items up for grabs include gift baskets, clothing, jewellery, baked goods and treats, bath bombs and soaps, candles, flowers and wreaths, charcuterie boards, and a variety of gift cards from local restaurants, bakeries, and greenhouses.
“Our big goal [for this silent auction] is to support small businesses and raise money for the victims of the fire,” said Sarah.
One-hundred percent of the proceeds from the auction will be donated to the victims of the fire through the Out-of-the-Cold Café (WOW Living) with founder Jodi Greenstreet who has been working with the town and the Red Cross to further support the displaced residents. The café has become a temporary ‘hub’ for food and clothing storage as well as hot meals and internet access with computers for those in need.
Despite the pandemic hurting so many small businesses, the sisters share that many of the local businesses who supported their big fundraiser last year stepped up again with donations for this silent auction, and many new local businesses have contributed.
“It’s been absolutely amazing so far!” expresses Emily about the support from local businesses. “We put up a post and got a heartwarming response.”
“It’s been a tough time over the lockdown,” notes Sarah. “These are the people supporting their families but they also stepped up for us last year for $50K… local businesses working together with us to help us reach our goals again.”
To bid on the auction items, residents must register and create an account. An email will be automatically generated to the winners with pick-up instructions. E-transfer payments are also accepted. It can take up to a week for payments to be processed after the final winning bid.
“You’re supporting a good cause whilst getting your shopping done (and supporting small businesses),” explains Sarah. “Not everyone can be online all the time, so this is a nice one stop shop, just in time for Mother’s Day.”
“Giving back to our community is something we will always do,” adds Emily, joking that she and her sister have been busier than their parents lately. “Working the best we can for all of us living here… we’re not sure what the future holds but A Bradford Christmas will always be doing something to give back.”
To follow Emily & Sarah Dahlgren’s progress and upcoming fundraisers, follow them on Instagram @abradfordchristmas or on Facebook / A Bradford Christmas.
