While the heat may have most thinking about anything other than winter, two Bradford sisters are already hard at work preparing a special Christmas gift for a local charity.
Sarah and Emily Dahlgren, 20 and 19, respectively, are well known for their charitable foundation, A Bradford Christmas, and just launched their toonie jar initiative, expected to run through July and August at 200 businesses across the Simcoe-Muskoka region. They hope to raise $20,000 toward the charity’s 2024 campaign goal of collecting $100,000 for Gilda’s Club Simcoe Muskoka.
Named after comedian Gilda Radner, Gilda’s Club is a charity dedicated to providing support, education and hope to people affected by cancer, including family members and friends of those diagnosed, children, and people who have lost someone to the disease.
So far, 45 businesses have signed up to host a toonie jar, including Bradford’s own Santos Hair Studio, which owner Catarina Santos has run for about the last 12 years.
Santos has also known the sisters for nearly eight years and previously had positive experiences helping with the toonie jar and other successful fundraising initiatives they’ve run since 2019.
“They’re just so passionate about what they do,” she said. “It’s so wonderful to be out helping the community, and just knowing their history and everything they’ve done, it was a no-brainer to try to help them in any way that I can.”
Santos is also familiar with Gilda’s Club, as she has helped raise funds for them in the past and her mother overcame cancer in 2021 after an operation and radiation therapy.
During the campaign launch at Gilda’s Club in Barrie on May 3, Santos experienced a “full-circle” moment when guests were asked to write the name of someone they knew who had been affected by cancer, and she said it “felt really special” to be able to write her mother’s name.
When it comes to working with Sarah and Emily, Santos said it was always a positive experience.
“They have great ideas and they're always very respectful and fun to work with,” she said. “They’re also inspiring. What they’ve accomplished is tremendous.”
This isn't the pair's first toonie drive, and this one comes with a new addition.
Donors can scan the QR code on the front of the jars to enter into a draw for the chance to win a gift basket full of items donated by the host businesses.
While that draw is planned for September, businesses have the option to continue hosting the jars until the end of the campaign on Dec. 31, and in the meantime, the sisters will be performing bi-weekly pickups, so the hosts aren’t burdened with holding onto all the donations.
So far, Sarah said it’s “really cool” to have more businesses hosting jars than ever before — including businesses in Bracebridge and Newmarket — and Emily called the response “incredible,” especially in Muskoka and Barrie, where they haven’t fundraised before, but found “people welcomed us with open arms.”
Emily attributes some of the generosity from local businesses to the reputation of Gilda’s Club.
“At the end, when we give the cheque to Gilda’s Club we want more people to know about them and what they do, so they can have more support for years to come,” Sarah said.
“Even though Gilda’s club is very well known, we want to make sure people know exactly the kind of amazing work they do for the community,” Emily added, noting that during the campaign launch, some people were surprised to find they offer options including therapy and children’s programs.
Sarah highlighted that they even have showers and a place for people to sleep when visiting from out of town.
The toonie jar initiative is just one part of this year’s campaign by A Bradford Christmas, though, and the sisters are already planning their first in-person fundraiser at the Bowlerama in Barrie on Friday, Sept. 13, from 7 to 9 p.m.
More information about tickets and sponsorship opportunities is expected to be available online soon.
The sisters have experienced several milestones recenlty including: Major Darren Hodskins of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets 37 Squadron presenting Emily with the Citizenship Award on June 1; the Barrie Chamber of Commerce presenting the sisters with the Young Entrepreneur Award during the Barrie Women in Business Awards on March 7; and Canada Revenue Agency officially approving A Bradford Christmas as a registered charitable foundation on Feb. 9.
Emily says it feels “incredible” to have that official status and be able to issue tax receipts in the new year. And Sarah stressed they’re both “so grateful” to their lawyer, Taras Kulish, for his years of help.
For more information, visit abradfordchristmas.com, or for updates follow A Bradford Christmas on Facebook and Instagram.
Further details about Gilda’s Club can be found at gildasclubsimcoemuskoka.org.
