The Gurski family’s annual “Scare Away Hunger” fundraiser once again brought the Martensville community together in a big way this Halloween season. Organized by local resident Ron Gurski, the event collected hundreds of pounds of food and over $1,000, easily doubling last year’s total donation.
“Thank you so much for all the support we received this year for our ‘Scare Away Hunger’ fundraiser,” said Gurski. “We have so many people and organizations to thank.”
Gurski expressed his appreciation to the Martensville Food Pantry, saying, “First I want to thank everyone at the Martensville Food Pantry for all they do to support our community and allow us to be a part of that with our fundraiser.”
He also thanked the many residents who stopped by during October to view his Halloween display and make donations, noting the excitement on Halloween night itself, where the family had 675 kids come to the door.
Community involvement extended beyond the front yard display, as local schools Valley Manor and Lake Vista set up collection boxes for donations, and encouraged students to bring a donation to enter the Halloween school dances.
Local businesses also played a key role in the fundraiser’s success, with Gurski thanking Geransky Construction, Mocon Construction, Read Automotive, Edmund Joseph Salon, JP Massage, Cozy Nails, Hugsy’s Place, Caesar Mill, Humboldt Ink, Vapor’s Choice, and Lakeview Insurance for their donations, and to the local businesses who shared the “Scare Away Hunger” flyer.
Gurski added his appreciation to local media outlets for helping spread the word, noting that CKOM and CJWW radio stations helped to get the word out, as well as the City of Martensville and Martensville Messenger for promoting the fundraiser.
Reflecting on the month-long effort, Gurski said, “It was an amazing month, I got to speak with so many people. Thank you all for the kind words and support for what we do. Halloween Night was amazing.”
Gurski is already planning for next year, hinting at even more decorations. “I look forward to doing it all again next year, hopefully with a few more additions.”
This year, the display consisted of 52 inflatables, with 26 of them being Minions and took approximately eight hours to set up, and six to take down.
And the fun doesn’t stop with Halloween. “Look for my Christmas display in the first week of December, with several new Minions this year,” Gurski added.
