The Children’s Wish Foundation is looking for people willing to go into self-imposed exile for a good cause.
The non-profit’s Newfoundland and Labrador branch today launched Exile Island, a pledge-based fundraiser in which teams compete for a trophy and bragging rights while gathering sponsors to raise money for the Children’s Wish Foundation.
Exile Island is modeled after the Survivor television show,
“We have never said no to a qualified child, and we have no waiting list,” said Edie Newton, chapter director of the Newfoundland and Labrador branch of the Children’s Wish Foundation, during the event’s launch at the Bowring Park Bungalow in St. John’s.
There are 98 wishes currently being worked on, she said, with 58 approved and 41 in the consultation phase.
The foundation has a goal of granting 44 wishes this year, which Edie said they will likely exceed, making the Exile Island fundraiser that much more important.
Teams sign up for Exile Island and are sent off to perform challenges, with the winner being crowned champion and presented with a trophy.
“We need every tribe we can possibly get to be exiled and help raise some significant dollars to grant wishes, because that’s really how we manage our success,” she said.
Now in its second year, the one-day event on Sept. 7 will take the five-person teams to a secret location where they compete.
“The first challenge for each team is to raise a minimum of $10,000, which is the approximate cost of a wish,” said Randy Snow of Hits FM, who is this year’s Exile Island master of ceremonies.
All fundraising is done before the event, and the event is still open to teams looking to participate.
For more information, or to sign up, visit the fundraising website at www.exileisland.ca.
