Casino Rama is set to host another important community event, as in November 2023, the premium gambling establishment will host the Cirque Under the Stars. This year, Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital Foundation’s gala will be moved to the event centre, where the property will be able to accommodate more people and gather more support for the organization.
According to the OSMH, the 22nd annual gala will be hosted on November 18, 2023, in Casino Rama. Cirque Under the Stars will offer guests an unforgettable evening of daring acrobatics, dazzling aerial performances, and circus-style entertainment. The event will also host a culinary experience, live and silent auctions, raffle. All of which are in support of local healthcare.
Magical Night for Fundraising
Kaitlyn St. Pierre, senior annual giving officer at the OSMH Foundation shared that this year’s gala will be able to welcome more guests than ever before. She noted that the event will be again a night of spectacular entertainment, which will aid healthcare providers at the organization, by providing better resources to offer improved care for local communities.
This year’s gala will be the first-ever for OSMH Foundation’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, Perry Esler. She is now eager to meet the organization’s sponsors and community members, and thank them for their aid to the hospital Ms. Esler remarked she is familiar with the passion and support they have for the community and all will celebrate another exciting night in fundraising.
In the last 21 years of annual events, the Soldiers’ Annual Gala has generated more than CA$1.5 million. The money has helped the purchase of surgical equipment, bedside monitor, MRI and life-saving pediatric equipment and much more. Also, sponsorship opportunities and tickets for the gala are now available. Early bird tickets go out of sale on August 31, 2023.
Casino Rama itself is also a major contributor to the local economy as over the years it has made some significant contributions to local groups. One of those dates back to December 2022, when it made a CA$5,000 donation to the Sharing Place Food Centre for the winter holidays. Also, over 242 pounds of food was collected and sent to the food bank.
Casino and Staff Reach New Deal
In April 2022, Casino Rama and unionized staff shook hands on a new and improved collective agreement. The new arrangement is in play for the next three years, and it will award workers with a wage bump of 9.5% over the duration of the contract. Workers were represented by Unifor Local 1090 and it managed to negotiate a good deal for its members.
Union said the contract will help staff recover from the multiple closures over the recent two years, which has left them out of work for some significant spells of time. The agreement improves benefits, reduces premiums for part-time workers by 50%, and improves vision and paramedical coverage for all members. In addition to that, it increases bereavement benefits and banquet event order gratuities, and more.
Source: “Cirque Under the Stars event to support hospital foundation” Orillia Matters, July 13, 2023
