Island couple preparing to climb Yala Peak in Nepal for a great cause

On October 13, 2007, Serge and Caroline will be departing Montreal, with a group of climbers, led by Dany Dion, a young man who has an intellectual disability, in an effort to raise money and awareness about how much people with handicaps can contribute to society, instead of focusing on what they're supposedly "lacking". This is the second year in a row that Dany will be leading an expedition. His first was climbing Kilimanjaro, in 2006.

The Island couple is determined to raise $11,000 ($5,500 each) and have enlisted an impressive number of Island and Montreal businesses to their cause. They have managed to secure close to $7,000 in donations and gift certificates and have divided up the prizes in three separate raffles. Their fundraising has been mainly the sale of tickets for these three draws. The first draw already took place in early July at the Chaz Resto-Bar, while the second one is taking place on August 23. The third draw will take place on October 4, right before they depart for Nepal.

Some of the prizes to be drawn are: three gift certificates from the SAQ; a value of $500, $250 and $100; a gift basket from Pharmaprix, valued at $500, a tandem parachute jump from Voltige 2001, a golf bag from Bernard Trottier, brunch for two at the Ritz Carlton valued at $150, gift certificates for Le Soleil de L'Ile, La Socca, Umi Sushi, House of Jazz, and the list goes on and on… It's truly gratifying to see how many Island businesses have generously donated their services, to help out CLDI and the wonderful work that it does, as well as encourage Caroline and Serge in their quest.

In the meantime, fundraising continues and the second draw will be taking place shortly. Island residents interested in supporting them and possibly winning some of these enticing prizes can simply contact them and purchase a raffle. Their website pages.videotron.com has all the information, including links to CLDI, the raffles and the prizes that can be won. When it's so easy and gratifying (and enticing) to help out, what could possibly be stopping you?