Results from 2015 Graceful Giving fundraising program announced

LANCASTER – The A. V. Fairgrounds Association (AVFA) has announced the results of its 2015 Graceful Giving fundraising campaign.

The Graceful Giving fundraising program involved the advanced sales of AV Fair admission tickets (normally priced at $10) for $7. One dollar of every $7 ‘pre-Fair ticket’ that was sold through local businesses like Albertson’s, Vallarta and Vons Supermarkets was given to various non-profit organizations, including Grace Resource Center (GRC), the Antelope Valley Hospital Foundation, and the Palmdale Regional Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary.

In addition to the local supermarkets, other locations that sold or purchased pre-Fair Admission tickets in bulk to support GRC included Antelope Valley College, Edwards Federal Credit Union, George’s Cleaners, Grace Resource Center and Lancaster Chamber of Commerce.

Other local companies supported the program through purchases of tickets in bulk for their employees and clients. More than $8,000 was raised through the sales of bulk tickets to the following businesses: A.V. Harley Davidson, Calandri/SonRise Farms, Cullen Allstate Insurance Agency, Greater AntelopeValley Association of REALTORSR, Halley-Olsen-Murphy Funerals and Cremations, Vanessa Mendoza, Palmdale Auto Mall, Rally Kia, Rio Tinto Minerals and Vision Engineering.

Approximately $25,000 was given to GRC to help support their food bank, Lancaster Homeless Shelter and other programs. A combined total of $6,904 was raised for the A.V. Hospital Foundation through tickets sold at the A.V. Hospital and via sales at five local Vallarta Supermarkets.

“It is our responsibility to be an active member of the communities we serve,” stated Ruby Martinez, Vallarta Supermarkets Marketing Manager. “At Vallarta Supermarkets, we will continue this strong partnership with both the Antelope Valley Fair and the local hospitals in the Antelope Valley to bring the best in entertainment and well-being of our customers.”

Johnny Zamrzla, Antelope Valley Hospital Foundation Chairman, thanked the hospital employees, local constituents, AV Fair and Vallarta Supermarkets for partnering with the Foundation to help raise money toward the Antelope Valley Hospital’s pediatric department.

A total of $5,855 was also given to the Palmdale Regional Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary via Vallarta Supermarkets ticket sales.

“The Auxiliary is overwhelmed with gratitude to both the AV Fair and Vallarta Supermarkets for their donation of over $5,800 to our scholarship fund,” stated Judi Olson, President, PRMC Auxiliary. “Officers and members of the Auxiliary are proud to have had both organizations support us as Partners in Service to the youth of the Antelope Valley.”

This was year five for the Graceful Giving campaign that involved partnerships between the A.V. Fair and local businesses to help raise funds for non-profit organizations. The program was expanded this year to enable businesses and non-profit groups to raise funds for their programs via selling the pre-Fair tickets on consignment.

[Information via news release from the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds Association.]

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