Fundraiser for LSWR

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to organize a fundraiser for the Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation Organization (LSWR) in partnership with Gong Cha. I have been volunteering with this non-profit since June 2025, and I wanted to give back to this organization because they do so much for the wildlife in our community. 

The fundraiser took quite a bit of planning before it could even happen. I first had to reach out to several people to see if hosting a fundraiser was possible and work with both the Living SKy Wildlife Rehabilitation Organization and GongCha to organize the event. Once everything was approved, I spent a good amount of time creating posters, helping advertise the fundraiser on social media, and spreading the work around my community. It took a lot of communication and organization, but seeing everything come together definitely made all the planning worth it!

As the event got closer, I felt both really excited and a little nervous at the same time. I really wanted the fundraiser to be successful and hoped that people would come out that day to support the cause. I was so happy to see so many familiar faces throughout the afternoon. My friends stopped by to support the fundraiser, along with some family friends as well! One of my friends who’s in university even came with her group of friends, which was a really nice surprise. It was also really exciting to see people who had already heard of LSWR stop by since they understood how important the wildlife work done is. Throughout the event, I had the chance to talk with people about what the fundraiser was supporting, what LSWR does and its goal of rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing injured and orphaned wildlife back into the wild. Some people were also interested in learning about the organization’s wildlife adoption program, so I was able to answer their questions and explain how it works. In between talking with everyone, I’m glad to say that I even treated myself to some bubble tea while enjoying everything!

The event took place on a spring afternoon and lasted two hours.

During that time, a percentage of the purchases made at Gong Cha were donated to LSWR to help cover costs such as food, medical care, and other medical supplies for the animals. During the fundraiser, I sat at a table near the front of the shop with posters and brochures from LSWR. My job that day was to answer any questions about the organization and the work they do. Lots of people were curious about what kinds of animals LSWR cares for, how injured wildlife is rehabilitated, and what happens before the animals are released back into the wild. I also explained that the organization is run by dedicated staff and volunteers who work really hard to give local wildlife a second chance. Some people were interested in learning more about the wildlife adoption program and how they could continue supporting the organization even after the fundraiser ended. It felt really rewarding to share what I had learned through volunteering and help others better understand the importance of protecting Saskatchewan’s wildlife.

Looking back, the event was a very rewarding experience. Even though the planning process had its stressful moments, the fundraiser itself was a lot of fun. It felt really good knowing that our efforts helped support a local organization and provide important resources for animals in need. It was also rewarding to know that we were helping spread awareness about LSWR so more people in the community know about the important work that they do. The experience taught me a lot about the planning, communication, and community involvement needed to plan an event like this. Overall, I am really glad to have had the opportunity to organize this fundraiser, and I would definitely volunteer and organize another fundraiser in the future!