“Our fundraising has been down the past two years, but the future looks much better,” said Geneviève Paquette, the foundation’s general manager. “We were able to add two rinks in Val d’Or and Jonquière as part of our Bleu-Blanc-Bouge project and we are able to help the groups who are here to day.”
Two of the group’s major fundraising initiatives — the 50/50 draws during Canadiens games and the annual charity golf tournament — were adversely affected by the pandemic.
In a normal season, the 50/50 draw raises more than $1 million for the foundation, while the golf tournament is the largest single event, raising more than $750,000.
“We had games where we had no fans and other games when the attendance was limited and, unlike other provinces, Quebec didn’t permit us to sell 50/50 tickets online,” said Paquette.