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Airdrie Oilmen's Association cancels fundraisers

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Airdrie Oilmen’s Association’s (AOA) has been forced to cancel two popular charity event in 2020.

President Adrian Pruden confirmed April 23 the 10th annual Bikes and Bulls fundraiser would not take place this summer. The event typically boasts a variety of high-fuelled entertainment including drag racing, professional bull riding, motorsport stunts and live music, and raises tens of thousands of dollars for three local charities.

“It’s a massive undertaking that requires a great deal of sponsorship, and I just don’t think we would be able to generate that in this calendar year,“ Pruden said.

“We realize a lot of the companies we deal with have been forced to lay off staff, and some businesses are just going out of business altogether. For us to come as a charity and ask for money at this stage of the game to support events is really low on the totem pole right now.“

The cancellation of Bikes and Bulls comes after AOA’s other flagship charity event – White Collar Boxing –  was called off earlier this spring. The two fundraisers support the Airdrie Food Bank, Community Links and Airdrie and District Victims Assistance Society.

“Even if we [could] hold some of the public events later in the year, we’re going to have a ton of businesses that support us regularly that may not be in a financial position to be able to support any events,“ Pruden said. “It’s a very dire situation, not just for ourselves, but all non-profits.“

White Collar Boxing is an annual fight night that sees employees from oil-and-gas companies and first responders box each other in the name of charity. The amateur fighters spend three months preparing for the bouts under the tutelage of professional boxing coaches, before duking it out in front of hundreds of attendees at the Palace Theatre in downtown Calgary.

This year would have marked the sixth iteration of the event. White Collar Boxing was originally postponed from March 26 to June 11, but Pruden said a recent government announcement that extended a ban on public gatherings in Alberta until August meant the rumble in the ring had to be put off indefinitely. 

“We have 30 participants who had trained twice a week for three months – a real blood, sweat and tears scenario,“ he said. “They were gutted to hear two weeks before the event that we were shut down.“

Pruden said there is a possibility the event may still be held this fall, if the spread of the virus is contained and the ban on public gatherings is lifted. Tickets that have already been purchased for the original date would be honoured.

“If we do get any kind of relaxation of public gatherings, there is a strong chance we will try to pull that event off before November,“ he said.

AOA also holds two other annual charity fundraisers – a golf tournament in September and the Carnivore Night barbecue in November. Pruden said those events are still on the table for now, but whether or not they will proceed depends on how the pandemic develops.

“If we flatten the curve and the province allows public gatherings of higher numbers, we will do what we can to try to pull off some kind of event – if not two or three – by the end of the year,“ he said.

AOA was formed in 2003, according to Pruden, and has raised more than $250,000 for Airdrie-based charities in the last 17 years.

Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19

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