Members of Saskatchewan Royal Purple offered donations to the Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association as part of a kickoff to BrainLove month in Saskatchewan. (Teena Monteleone/paNOW staff)

By Teena Monteleone

BrainLove

Sask. Royal Purple spearheads fundraiser for Brain Injury Association

Mar 2, 2022 | 8:00 AM

The Saskatchewan Royal Purple is pledging to raise nearly $50,000 for the Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association (SBIA) this year. It makes them a key contributor to the work SBIA does in raising awareness and prevention of brain injuries in Canada.

This year’s fundraising goal will bring the provincial total to nearly $150,000 over the past six years.

The relationship between the two groups began when Prince Albert’s Elaine Perkins, a long-time member of the Royal Purple, reached out to SBIA following her grandson’s snowmobile accident.

“Her grandson had been severely injured,” said Glenda James, executive director of SBIA. “Our conversations evolved over some time, and I asked if Elaine wanted to become involved with the association. She said she had been a member of the Royal Purple all her life and they raised money for lots of organizations and she asked if SBIA would come talk to them.”

That initial meeting eventually led to the creation of BrainLove month in Saskatchewan and marks the beginning of a Facebook blitz, public donation collections at Bootlegger stores, testimonials, interviews, and activities throughout the province. This year, Manitoba and Alberta are joining the publicity and fundraising program. The Royal Purple raises funds through Kaiser, curling and golf tournaments, bingos, and silent auctions among other events.

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“The biggest boost to our donations will come from the BrainTees Golf Holiday Raffle which has a potential of raising $20,000. Our individual lodge donations are steadily increasing as well,” said Sandi Lougheed, chair of the Saskatchewan Royal Purple Charity Partnership Committee.

The partnership goes beyond fundraising. James said the Royal Purple gives SBIA a presence they otherwise wouldn’t have.

“The Royal Purple are our arms and legs. They take materials out to rural communities where they live that we can’t reach. They are genuine partners,” James said.

In fact, James said members of the Prince Albert chapter of the Royal Purple started attending brain injury support groups and game nights to better under the work SBIA does and that led to organic partnerships both personal and professional.

“We started to find that some of our members who weren’t as severely impacted wanted to have a social group that understood what brain injury was about, because it does impact them, but they didn’t want to be identified by their brain injury…so they started joining the Royal Purple. So, we have this extended community where depending on what your abilities are, you can find a different way to participate and still help to prevent brain injuries.”

Information from the Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association indicates falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury, followed by motor vehicle collisions, being struck by or against something or in sports injuries and in violent assaults. James said there are roughly 2,500 brain injuries a year in Saskatchewan.

“Its important to understand that is cumulative. That many injuries occur, but the consequences don’t go away. That means we add 2,500 cases to the numbers we already have.”

That’s even more reason for the Royal Purple to continue with their efforts.

“Our first donation was less than $800 and this year’s donation will reach nearly $50,000 once we’re done all the events,” Lougheed said. “It’s exciting to watch it grow in our province, but its equally exciting to watch it grow into every province from Ontario through to the West Coast.

Brain injury is a special cause because there is no replacement. If you have a brian injury, you can’t go get a new brain. It’s an injury you will carry the rest of your life. So, the best thing we can do is prevent it and the best way we can do that is to talk about it and make people aware.”

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Teena.monteleone@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertNOW