The community-wide fundraiser for Brielle Thomson, a three year-old girl born without the use of legs, which started in May with the goal of raising $43,000 for a robotic walking machine called a Trexo, has so far raised $25,000. With just under two weeks to go until the fundraisers June 14 end date, one final call to action to rally Cochrane has been made.
Brielle’s mother Michelle Aguilar and Dan Kroffat, a prolific community fundraiser who rallied to Aguilar’s cause six weeks ago, were at the Cochrane Toyota dealership–which has served essentially as a staging ground for the fundraiser–on Tuesday to plan the final fundraising push.
Since May 9, when the fundraising effort commenced at an event held at Cochrane Toyota, several different fundraisers have collected thousands for Thomson. Last week Save-On-Foods raised over $2,000 at a barbeque. On June 8, The Venue, a bar in downtown Cochrane’s east end, is hosting a fundraising billiards tournament. Garage sales all over Cochrane the last few weekends have been held to raise money for Thomson’s Trexo device.
The final day of the community-wide fundraiser will be marked by a massive fundraiser at Cochrane Toyota on June 14. From 1 to 3 pm a free lunch will be served. Raffles, door prizes, and a silent auction will be held. Special guests like MLA Peter Guthire and Cochrane Mayor Jeff Genung will speak and flip burgers and a $500 gift card to a grocery store will be given away as part of the silent auction. At 2:30 pm, the final total will be announced, and Kroffat is optimistic the amount raised will equal $43,000.
“This is an invitation to help reach Michelle’s goal” said Kroffat. “[We] have a ways to go and [the community] can make a difference…let’s make this happen and show that Cochrane comes together when called upon.”
Aguilar has been touched by the support the community has given her, Brielle, and her family. “It really means a lot,” she said, fighting back tears. “It’s very touching. I’m so thankful, it makes me feel not so alone. The amount of love and help we’ve been getting from everyone has helped us out so much.”
Aguilar, an immigrant from the Philippines, began her fundraising effort earlier this year, almost totally alone. From door to door she would collect bags of bottles, hoping to raise tens of thousands for a machine that would change her daughter's life.
“I was worried I was never going to get there,” she said, remarking on the $43,000 goal. “Would I spend the next two years collecting bottles? I would stay up all night thinking about what I could sell.”
In a letter shared with the Cochrane Eagle, Aguilar wanted to give her thanks to the fundraisers in the community that have helped push her towards her goal.
“To the fundraiser organizers-- thank you for your hard work, your dedication, and your big hearts," Aguilar wrote. "You’ve turned hope into action, and we are so grateful. And to the entire Cochrane community-- thank you."
“Your generosity, encouragement, and love have lifted us in moments when we needed it most. We see every donation, every kind word, every gesture of support, and we hold them close. We are filled with hope that soon, with your help, Brielle will receive her robotic legs. And when that day comes, it will be thanks to each and every one of you. From the bottom of our hearts—thank you."
