25th Harrow Fair Pie Auction raises record-breaking $50,000 in support of the John McGivney Children’s Centre - total proceeds top $283,500

September 8, 2022

The Brad & Joanne Stannard Memorial Pie Auction returned after a 2 year hiatus to a record-breaking fundraising event this past Labour Day weekend in support of the John McGivney Children’s Centre.

Pies are entered into the auction through the annual Harrow Fair Baking Contest, and other exhibition categories, which comes with strict competition rules. Bakers are offered the opportunity to donate their winning pie to the auction. 

Marie Hall has volunteered on the Harrow Fair Baking Committee for over 30 years, most of them as Chairperson, along with a number of other Harrow Fair committees.

“The first pie auction 27 years ago raised $350 for the John McGivney Centre” said Marie. “We’re so pleased that every year since then we’ve seen this amount consistently increase. And, almost all of our bakers consent to donating their pie to the auction. This year it was 50 pies, plus a special chocolate cake that was so gorgeous auctioneers wanted it included too!”

Mark Stannard, his wife Lisa and their sons Philip and Owen have been carrying on the tradition of his parents Brad & Joanne Stannard whose son Todd was born with spina bifida and passed away in 1975 at the age of seven. Mark and his family continue to oversee all the auction activities including arranging for the auctioneers, spotters, pie carriers, and money handling. “It is an honour keeping Brad and Joanne’s aspirations growing, and to help children with special needs be the best they can be, and the John McGivney Children’s Centre be the best that it can be,” said Lisa.

“I am simply overwhelmed” said Jessica Sartori, John McGivney Children’s Centre CEO. “Thank you to everyone involved in this generous endeavor over the past incredible 25 years. Your efforts have enriched the lives of thousands of children and youth with special needs across Windsor-Essex each year by helping them reach their full potential.”

“On behalf of the Stannard family, and the Harrow Fair we wish to thank everyone involved -  from the volunteers, to the bakers and buyers in making the pie auction such a success. We are truly blessed to have the support of the community behind us, not only for the John McGivney Children’s Centre through the pie auction, but also the many non-profit and charitable groups, the community supports and the Harrow Fair as a whole” concludes Hall.

The total funds donated to date to the John McGivney Children’s Centre is $283,572.00.



More photos can be found here: https://jmccentre.ca/photo-gallery/harrow-fair-pie-auction-2022. About the Harrow Fair
The Harrow Fair dates back to 1854 when it was first held as an auction event under what was then called the Colchester Agricultural Society. The event became an annual tradition in 1878 with each year seeing the addition of more fun and games for the family. In 1930, the fair was expanded to three days. The Harrow Fair is entirely volunteer-run and is one of the longest-running fairs in Ontario.



 

Return to News