TISDALE — A fundraiser where the Tisdale RCMP sold Northeast Regional Victim Services challenge coins to raise money for the organization sold out in less than 24 hours.
The design of the coin was created by Canadian artist Daniel Sundahl, a firefighter and paramedic out of Alberta who creates portraits of EMS scenes based on his real life experiences. His work has been featured in Canadian Paramedicine, Journal of Emergency Medicine, Fire Rescue Magazine in Greece, and EMS World Magazine.
“We set our target at about 450 coins and we sold out within less than 24 hours,” said Cpl. Mike Benjamin with the Tisdale RCMP. “It’s a lot of work. All fundraisers tend to be that way, but it’s going to our victim services program here in Tisdale.”
The Northeast Regional Victim Services provides confidential support to victims of crime and traumatic events in the region with the goal of empowering their clients and supporting a return to wellness.
“They use it for programming, training and their initiatives, so it goes back to the community and what victim services does with the RCMP.”
The Tisdale RCMP titled the coin “Empowering Victims”.
“The artwork has a strong image that we used from Tisdale. It actually has myself; Cst. Isabelle Gareau; Jenna Holt, who is the victim services co-ordinator in our area; and a couple other employees from the Victim Services program,” Benjamin said.
Each coin that sold for $20 cost a total of about $10 to design and make.
“We’re waiting about eight weeks for them to be made before we can distribute them.”
Due to its success, Benjamin said the detachment is considering the possibility of making the coin an annual fundraiser.
