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Fundraiser being held to help ease costs of destroyed Leslieville Elks Hall

Feb 1, 2018 | 11:24 AM

Owners of a local cafe are putting on a benefit auction this weekend with hopes of raising enough money to help rebuild the Leslieville Elks hall that was destroyed in a fire back in December.

Theresa Jamieson and Jennifer Heyland have been raising money and organizing a benefit and silent auction since the beginning of January. They were also victims of theft after someone broke into the Hooterville Hilton Café and stole $600 that was to go to the Elks, as well as $300 out of their own till.

“The amount of support that we have had since the robbery has been just overwhelming, it’s wonderful,” says Heyland.

The hall was destroyed by fire on Dec. 29 and RCMP have charged a 17-year-old male in connection to the incident. He is facing one count of arson.

Heyland and Jamieson say that they hope to raise about $50,000.

“Before the auction even started we are probably close to fifteen or twenty thousand dollars just with cash donations that we’ve gotten in the bank plus the silent auction donations have been phenomenal, we are probably at two hundred donations. So, I think that we are going to end up doing very well that evening,” said Jamieson.

The benefit will be taking place Feb. 3 at the Leslieville Community Centre at 7p.m. Tickets are $10 which includes entertainment and a midnight supper.

Jamieson adds that they wouldn’t have been able to go through with the benefit if it wasn’t for all the community support they’ve received.

“No matter what happens someone is always there to help out and when we started this it was an immediate response and if anything it keeps getting better and better the closer we get.”