If the cold weather has you down, this gift item with its promise of a unique summer experience is sure to warm hearts over the holidays.
Five Counties Children’s Centre is hosting its second annual Backyard Summer Social on June 24, 2023 from 1-4 pm. While the event is still more than six months away, tickets are now available just in time for the holidays. The Backyard Summer Social is a fundraiser for Five Counties in support of its speech therapy and occupational therapy programs for children and families in the region. In its first year, the event raised more than $45,000 for Five Counties.
Tickets for the Backyard Summer Social in June 2023 are now available online for $125 each. For more information and options to buy tickets, you can also email Five Counties at development@fivecounties.on.ca or call 1-888-779-9916, ext. 300
“Nothing says season’s greetings better than the gift of the summer season for loved ones on your holiday shopping list,” says Lyn Giles, Director of Fund Development with Five Counties. “Getting an early-bird ticket to the Backyard Summer Social makes for a great holiday gift. The event is a celebration of the start of summer for guests to enjoy an afternoon of fun-filled activities that lets you be a kid again.”
The Backyard Summer Social is an adults-only, fundraising event. As in 2022, the afternoon event with its ‘backyard picnic for adults’ vibe will be held at Five Counties Children’s Centre (872 Dutton Road) in Peterborough in June. The event will again feature food, fun and unique activities, live music, and live auction. Guests can ditch their gala attire in favour of comfortable summer wear.
Last year, guests could kick off their shoes in the inflatable jousting ring, roll up their sleeves before throwing an axe with the Peterborough Axe Club, get competitive with lawn games, and take part in a hockey shoot-out with the Peterborough Petes. Catered food and treats were on the menu, along with live performances from local musicians.
The 2023 Backyard Summer Social promises more of the same – as well as many new activities and attractions with additional details being released soon.
“This is a great opportunity to give your loved one a unique experience, while supporting a great cause” Giles adds. “Speech and occupational therapies make up 90 per cent of our waitlist at Five Counties. The more children we can get off the waiting list and into therapy services, the more opportunities they have to gain independence and enjoy a better quality of life.”
In 2021/2022, Five Counties served and supported 5,588 kids in the region. Currently, there is a waiting list of 2,516 children for therapy at Five Counties, with an average wait time of 18-24 months. Of these children, more than 90 per cent are waiting for speech and language therapy, as well as occupational therapy