Last Tuesday I had the honour of joining with Manitoba Lung Association President and CEO Bill Pratt and Director of Fund Development Kathi Neal for the kickoff of their organization’s annual fundraiser Tulip Days. Between February 21st and March 4th volunteers will be delivering and selling bouquets of tulips, with more than 300 workplaces set to participate and more than 50 locations selling tulips. This wonderful initiative supports the Lung Association in their delivery of valuable research and programming throughout Manitoba and for the past 18 years, more than $1.3 million has been raised to support programs and services to help Manitobans breathe with ease. The proceeds from the tulip sales go to support the one in five Manitobans living with lung disease. Why tulips for a fundraiser? Flowers make people happy and displays with beautiful fresh flowers at the end of the winter is a pretty pleasant reminder that spring can’t be that far behind. Tulips are also hardy and can withstand a lot. Unbeknownst to many, tulips have very little scent and are safe for people who have allergies to flowers.
Originally created in 1904 by the Government of Manitoba as the “Sanatorium Board of Manitoba Act”, the Lung Association has been helping Manitobans for the last 113 years. In the early years, they helped house and care for those living with tuberculosis. By 1975 the Lung Association was founded officially to carry out the tasks involved in running community health programs and education services. Today, the Lung Association is a registered Canadian charity and in the past 10 years, the generosity of Manitoba donors has made it possible for over a million dollars to be invested in research right here in the province. Support from individuals, foundations, businesses and government make it possible for them to encourage and support research; protect the air we breathe; to be there for people when they need help; and to celebrate breathing.
The Tulip Days fundraiser gives people a very inexpensive way to make a huge difference for Manitobans living with lung disease and is comprised of two working pieces; the first will be the tulip displays located at local businesses, with the popular and brand new potted tulips available for people to purchase. The second are local businesses who are being asked to take the lead and in turn, ask co-workers if they’d like to order tulips and support the Lung Association. The tulips are always delivered free of charge by volunteers. The Lung Association is currently on the lookout for more volunteers, anyone interested in signing up to help out, are encouraged to contact corey.weir@mb.lung.ca.
