Ginette Mageau, who has lived in Timmins for many years, learned about lots of programs and services she didn't know about when she attended Welcome to Timmins Night on Wednesday.
Mageau said it was her first time checking out the event.
After going virtual last year because of the pandemic, the 28th annual Welcome to Timmins Night returned this year at a new outdoor location on Third Avenue. More than 50 non-profit organizations and groups set up their booths promoting their services, programs and the need for volunteers.
“I really liked the booths, they were very informative,” Mageau said.
The outdoor event saw a big turnout, with hundreds of people strolling along Third Avenue and stopping by booths.
For every visited booth, people received a stamp on a drawcard. Once they collected more than 15 stamps, they were eligible to enter a draw to win a free trip for two. Travel vouchers worth a total of $2,500 were sponsored by Kirkland Lake Gold.
David Laneville won the prize worth $1,200. Joel Gauvin received the second prize worth $800, while Morgan Maxer took home the prize worth $500.
Mark Joron, chairman of The Wintergreen Fund for Conservation, said the non-profit has been participating at Welcome to Timmins Night since its beginning.
Along with another volunteer, Joron was on hand to inform people about the foundation’s work and fundraising efforts and to look for volunteers.
“Everybody knows the results of what Wintergreen does – the boardwalk at Gillies Lake, the lights, the benches, Hersey Lake trails – but they don’t know it’s Wintergreen’s efforts and our volunteers that make all that happen,” he said. "Everybody else down here is lots of volunteers. That's what keeps us going, that's why we're here."
For the past 27 years, Welcome To Timmins Night was a one-night, two-hour-long event held in September at McIntyre Curling Club with over 120 community organizations participating and up to 600 people attending.
Another Timmins resident Angela Allen, who has never attended the event before, said it was a great idea.
“Timmins needs more diversity. I lived in the south for 12 years and up here, we need more cultures. In order to grow, we need that to happen,” she said.
