2022: CNIB Lake Joe Dock-to-Dock: Taste of Muskoka Event Highlights
CNIB Lake Joe partnered with friends throughout Muskoka and across Canada to make waves at the event, exceeding our goal of $170K to raise $175,583 to create an enhanced accessible watersport program - including a brand new waterski boat - for people who are blind or partially sighted at CNIB Lake Joe. Check out this infographic for a summary of our successes.
Key event highlights included:
- All Dock Hosts raising over $1,000 received a premium Dock Box valued at $500.
- The top three Dock Host fundraisers received a visit at their dock with a G23 Paragon waterski boat AND top surf instructor for a private demo/lesson for their dock guests.
- Between 2-5 p.m., three water ski boats (compliments of Pride Marine Group) and celebrities visited docks on all three lakes for fun and giveaways. Docks were also treated to live music thanks to a visit by the Muskoka Girls’ boat, led by Lara Simonot.
- In addition to in-person Docks, five virtual Docks were registered
- Top Docks/fundraising teams include:
- 1) Daryl Knudson
- 2) David Cynamon
- 3) Nancy Simonot
- 4) Helen Hunt
- 5) Calvin Barry
- A virtual CNIB Lake Joe Dock-to-Dock: Taste of Muskoka event was held online with 30 guests joining in a fun trivia session with more live entertainment
- The www.CNIB5050.ca draw for CNIB Lake Joe raised $5,742 with the same amount going to winner David Chow.
Special Thank You’s go to:
Our Key Sponsors
- Title: NKS Health Canada
- Gold: AMI, Mantella Corporation, Pioneer Group
- Exclusive 2022 Boat sponsor: Pride Marine Group
- Bronze Sponsors: Susan Creasy Financial, Budget Propane
- Media Sponsors: Cayman Marshall, Dolce Magazine
- Social Media Sponsor: Give Back Collective
Special guests
- Joan Kelley Walker, TV personality
- Rod Black, Canadian Sports Commentator
- Emilee Schevers, Miss Teen Personality, Eastern Canada (and CNIB Lake Joe staff/past camper with sight loss)
- Guest Musicians: The Muskoka Girls, led by Lara Simonot
- CNIB Lake Joe Ambassadors: Dawn Pickering with son Ollie & his buddy guide dog Hope, Jason Mitschele, Emma Van Dyk, Josh Cook and Jade Ondrik.
- Valued committee volunteers: Helen Hunt (chair), Daryl Knudson, and John Perras
Taste of Muskoka Dock Box Sponsors: AMI, Art on Stone, Cayman Marshall, Clear Lake Brewing Co. & Muskoka BeerSpa, Dolce Magazine, Dr. Pearlman, Pearl Rejuvenation, Field of Greens, Jack & Stella, Living Luxe Magazine, McMaster’s Muskoka Fine Foods, Molson Brewery, Mrs. H’s Fish & Chips, Muskoka Brewery, Oliver’s Coffee, Pride Marine Group, Sawdust City Brewery, Silver Stream Farms, Stephen’s Butcher Shop, Tastebuds Ice Cream & Poutinerie, Triple Bogey Brewing Co.
Prize Sponsors: Jayne’s Cottages, Lake Joseph Golf Club, Pride Marine Group, Rocky Crest Golf Resort, Taboo Muskoka Resort; The Oar Restaurant, The Rock Muskoka, The Smokin’ Birds BBQ, Windermere Golf & Country Club
2021: CNIB Lake Joe 60th Anniversary Weekend - CNIB Muskoka Dock-to-Dock: Poker Run Event Highlights
Surrounded by friends and family on the beautiful shores of Lake Joseph in Muskoka, it was the perfect way to celebrate CNIB Lake Joe’s 60th Anniversary Weekend – in style! Check-out the virtual pre-event video AND a video showing everyone having fun in the sun.
Thanks to amazing participation and support, CNIB Lake Joe’s 60th Anniversary weekend raised a grand total of $370,000 for CNIB Lake Joe's capital redevelopment campaign!
Included in this total, building off 2020’s CNIB Muskoka Dock-to-Dock: Party with a Purpose event, the CNIB Muskoka Dock-to-Dock: Poker Run event and its 50/50 raffle raised over $130,000 (net) to date. And we’re not done yet! Event participants donated online at cnib.ca/docktodock to support the purchase of adaptive sports and independent living skills equipment for a new multi-purpose recreation and learning facility at CNIB Lake Joe!
- More than 250 donors, sponsors, participants, and volunteers came together to make the event a great success.
- We were thrilled to be joined by celebrity hosts Joan Kelley Walker (returning emcee), Rod Black, and Ben Mulroney!
- A huge thank you to the mighty, unstoppable team of Nancy Simonot (Co-Chair), Helen Hunt (Co-Chair), Tracey Burton, Tom Cross, Anthony Domenici, and ACBS-Toronto for organizing another successful annual CNIB Muskoka event!
Our CNIB Lake Joe 60th Anniversary “Super Six” Challenge donors each pledged a remarkable $60,000 toward the campaign. Join the "Super Six" and help us reach our goal of $1.6M. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the incredible “Super Six” donors who have confirmed so far!
- Randall Oliphant Family - $60,000
- Joan Kelley Walker - $60,000
- John and Norma MacDonald - $60,000
- Hogarth Family / The Pioneer Group - $60,000
A big thank you to our CNIB Muskoka Dock-to-Dock: Poker Run event sponsors! NKS Health, Mantella Corporation, Accessible Media Inc. (AMI), Ellis Packaging Limited, Susan Creasy Financial Inc., Sofina Foundation, Budget Propane Corporation, Cayman Marshall International Realty , Foodland Port Carling, Tom Cross Muskoka Real Estate, Crestwood Inn, Cottage Air, Black Caviar, Mortimer's Marina, Field of Greens Muskoka Market, Mullin’s Pet Market, Freshmart Bala, Beveragino, Heretic Spirits, Canadian Tire Corporation, Indian River Trading Company, Expedia Cruises (Oakville), Bait, Tackle & More, Pratt's Lawn Care & Landscapes, Molson Coors, Roll This Way Sushi Making Classes & Catering, The Boathouse Yoga Co., The Hunt Team in Muskoka, and The Lake Joseph Club.
Congratulations to the Dock-to-Dock: Poker Run winners!
Top Three Fundraising Teams:
- First Place Team: Simonot’s Unsinkable 2 - $12,193
- Second Place Team: Domenici’s Lake Joe Poker Run for CNIB - $6,047
- Third Place Team: CNIB Lake Joe Advisory Board - $4,185
Top Seven Poker Hands:
- NKS Health First Place Winner: Norma and John MacDonald (Five Queens)
- Accessible Media Inc. Second Place Winner: Peggi Shepherd (Royal Flush)
- Ellis Packaging Inc. Third Place Winner: Will Miller (Straight Flush)
- Mantella Corporation Fourth Place Winner: David Hull (Four Queens)
- Susan Creasy Financial Inc. Fifth Place Winner: Sophie Barry (Full House)
- Sofina Foundation Sixth Place Winner: Heretic Spirits (Full House)
- Budget Propane Corp. Seventh Place Winner: Lisa & Neil Skelding (Full House)
Congratulations to the $12,938 CNIB Lake Joe 50/50 grand prize winner, Randy!
2020: CNIB Muskoka: Dock-to-Dock: Party with a Purpose Event Highlights
CNIB Muskoka: Dock-to-Dock: Party with a Purpose made history as Canada’s first and largest socially distanced, synchronized dock-to-dock party from coast to coast. We raised over $190,000 (net) and had over 350 participants, including “Dock Hosts”, guests, donors, and volunteers.
Key event highlights included:
- The CNIB Lake Joe Advisory Board team far exceeded its original goal of $1,000, bringing in a whopping $3,627.
- The CNIB Lake Joe dock team CNIBLakeJoe@Home (staff, campers, friends and family, supporters), exceeded their original goal, raising $5,707 to purchase a new Zodiac rescue boat to keep campers safe on the water
- Mayor Phil Harding (Muskoka Lakes), Mayor Ann MacDiarmid (Seguin), and Scott Aitchison (MP – Parry Sound) were in attendance for the CNIB Lake Joe event kick-off and continue to be proud supporters of CNIB Lake Joe. Mayor MacDiarmid made a $500.00 donation and challenged all elected officials across Canada during the 104.1 The Dock live dock party and radiothon telethon from 2 – 6 p.m.
- Between 3 – 6 p.m., four 'party pontoon' boats visited a total of 15 docks on Lake Joseph and Lake Muskoka; another 11 virtual docks were registered, for a total of 26 'docks'.
- Camper Alicia Chenier attended to share how CNIB Lake Joe has shaped her life, built her confidence, independence and impacted her future path.
- CNIB Lake Joe hosted a CNIBLakeJoe@Home virtual program from 2:30 – 5:30 p.m. including: 'unboxing' of the dock box; making dessert pizzas in our pizza oven and sharing tips for making pizzas at home; beer tasting and pairing tips with Muskoka Brewery; and prizes every half an hour.
- Event Musicians and Celebrities: Joan Kelley Walker (Emcee), Rod Black (Host), Beverley Mahood, Mac Shepherd, Shawn Brady, Colin Jennison, Dayna Reid, Will Hebbes, Leah Daniels, Al Rowe, and "Muskoka Girls” band
- Valued Volunteers on Event Committee: Nancy Simonot (chair), Tracey Burton, Tom Cross, Marie Hewitt, Helen Hunt, and Michaela Hutchison
- 2020 Event Sponsors: NKS Health, Pioneer & The Hogarth Family, Mantella Corporation, AMI, Ellis Packaging Limited, Susan Creasy Financial Inc., Sofina Foods, Budget Propane Corporation, Front Door PR, 104.1 The Dock, Zirkova Vodka, Chetty’s Inc., Cayman Marshall International Realty, Stephen’s Butcher Shop, Gordon Bay Marine, Royal Canadian Candles and Nature’s Unity, Foodland Port Carling, Mubsies Granola, Restore Pharmaceuticals, Canadian Tire, and Regenurex.
- Wish List items funded through the event: New Zodiac Rescue Boat, Beep Baseball Set, Accessible Rock Climbing Wall, 1 x Replacement Sail for Hobie Catamaran, Inflatable Water Elements, Frisbee Golf Set, Camp bursaries for children, adults, and families.
2019: CNIB Muskoka: Taste of Country Event Highlights
Guests were invited to kick up their booths at this country affair. CNIB Muskoka: Taste of Country raised over $350,000. We had our highest attendance at the CNIB Lake Joe Centre to date, with over 550 attendees onsite on August 24th, 2019. All proceeds went toward transforming CNIB Lake Joe into a year-round camp with expanded program offerings including snowshoeing, ice fishing, skating/hockey, and cross-country skiing.
Activations included: Mechanical bull, live country performances including Juno award nominee Beverley Mahood, build-your-own Caesar bar, gourmet BBQ catering, a guide dog puppy "cuddle kennel" and an out-of-this-world fireworks display.
2020 Event Sponsors: NKS Health, Pioneer & The Hogarth Family, Mantella Corporation, Ellis Packaging Limited, Susan Creasy Financial Inc., Jayne's Cottages, Budget, Sofina, Sotheby's, RockCrest, Kerr St. Cafe, Edrington, YourTV, Neighbours Magazine, Port Carling Garden Centre, Brugal, Muskoka Chrysler, Muskoka 411, Country 102, The Rosseau Group, Dockside Publishing, The Macallan, Muskoka Springs, Pie Media Group, Clear Lake Brewing, Bala Garden Centre, BestVersionMedia.
Valued Volunteers on Event Committee: Nancy Simonot (chair), Tracey Burton, Tom Cross, Marie Hewitt, Helen Hunt, Michaela Hutchison, and Chelsey Penrice