Arisaig community dance supports AAHS

The community of Arisaig has shown its support for the Antigonish Affordable Housing Society (AAHS) with a generous donation of $700 towards the Society’s Housing for Hope capital campaign. The funds were raised at the community’s annual fundraising dance spearheaded by Gerald and Marie MacDonald.

The MacDonalds initiated the fundraiser when they moved to Arisaig in 2007 from Port Hawkesbury. There they had been honouring the memory of their son Kyle, who died in 2002 at the age of 22, by hosting a fundraiser for the local food bank where Marie volunteered. Kyle would often help his mother after school and during the Christmas season when he was in high school.

What began as an invitation to the MacDonald home to neighbours and friends in Arisaig has grown into an annual dance at the local community hall and a major fundraiser for the food bank and organizations such as the AAHS. Now community members such as Dale MacDonald help to decorate the hall; Lionel Benoit and his band provide the music.

The McDonalds recently presented the cheque to Colleen Cameron, the chair of the Society.