Local hospital suggests bed race
fundraiser as summer Brockport event

In order to win the fundraising game, organizations have to be innovative and be on the cutting edge, Cora Goyette, director of donor relations at Lakeside Hospital said.

She addressed the Village of Brockport board at the February 6 meeting with the idea of a fundraising bed race. "Bed races are very popular in Europe," she said. "It would be a novel idea for this area."

In coordinating the bed race, Goyette said a section of Main Street would have to be closed from Erie Street to the canal so the beds could be pushed up and down the street for the actual race. There would also be prizes awarded for the best "made" beds. As examples, she said a landscaping company could make a flower bed, while a plumbing company might decorate and race with a bathtub.

"We would want to get the downtown merchants involved and it would also be a way to draw more people to the area," she said.

There would be entry fees for participants in the race and funds raised would go toward supporting programs at the hospital.

Trustee Carrie Maziarz said she had seen events like this before and that they raised quite a bit of money for the organizations. "A portion of the street will be closed for the farmer's market so maybe we could incorporate the staging area for the beds down on Market Street," she said.

Mayor Mort Wexler said the board would discuss the event further with hospital officials. If approved, Goyette said they would like to have the event on July 23.

February 12, 2006