“This is our third annual Ella-ween,” said Sue Morrison-Weir, with SODA.
The event’s namesake, Ella, died suddenly in 2022, and her donated organs saved at least two lives. “Ella really loved Halloween,” Morrison-Weir said.
Ella’s mother, Kisten Luckins, connected with SODA, raised the idea for the event, and Ella-ween was born, Morrison-Weir explained. Luckins sits on the SODA board and continues to help organize the event, which was held for the first time in 2023.
“We have been collecting donated costumes, accessories, and Halloween decor items,” Morrison-Weir said. New Halloween makeup has also been donated. All items will be available for sale at Ella-ween for $10 or less each, she added.
“As much as it’s a fundraiser, Ella-ween is about giving back to the community,” Morrison-Weir emphasized. “Halloween is getting very expensive, including the cost of buying new costumes. We just wanted it to be fun for everyone.”
The event usually draws a few hundred people, and its fundraising efforts for SODA include proceeds from a 50-50 draw. “There will be Halloween-themed vendors onsite, film characters in scary costumes, face painting by The Painted Cat, music, and a dance troupe teaching kids some moves,” Morrison-Weir said. “There is a lot of fun to be had.”
Donations for Ella-ween are accepted year-round and can still be dropped off in the coming days at the Lochiel Kiwanis Centre, Motion on Finch Drive, The Painted Cat on Christina Street, Hub Insurance on Exmouth Street, and 1112 Indian Rd. N., Morrison-Weir noted. “I would say we have several hundred costumes at this point. They’re all sorted by size to make shopping easier at Ella-ween.”
Beyond the event, SODA offers important community support services. “Ella-ween helps support grief packages that SODA provides for donor families,” Morrison-Weir said. “We also offer financial aid for people in Lambton County who are experiencing transplantation.”
Patients traveling to hospitals in Toronto for transplantation may have to live there for several months after surgery and face costs related to travel and extended medical visits. SODA provides financial assistance for those expenses while promoting awareness of organ transplantation and the importance of organ donation.
According to SODA, an average of 1,400 individuals in Ontario are waiting for organ transplants, and 35 percent of the province’s residents are registered donors.
“I like to say we’re talking about life,” Morrison-Weir commented. “We’re talking about people who wouldn’t survive without transplantation.”
The non-profit organization is entering its 31st year of operation. For more information, visit www.sarniaorgandonors.ca.
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Paul Morden, [email protected]
@ObserverPaulM
https://www.theobserver.ca/news/local-news/sarnias-third-annual-ella-ween-organ-donation-awareness-event-set-for-oct-19
