Madeli-Aide Foundation fundraising dinner: a community that mobilizes for youth

The Madeli-Aide Foundation’s lobster dinner, held on June 10, 2022, in a « boxed lunch » format for a second consecutive year, generated record profits.

In all, 880 people from the Islands, Montreal and Quebec City shared 1,760 lobsters, raising $274,000 to provide scholarships to young Magdalen Islanders who are pursuing their education abroad.

A portion of the proceeds will go to the Groupe Persévérance Scolaire, which supports some 15 projects in the archipelago’s schools.

The president of the foundation, Jocelyn Aucoin, underlines the importance of the contributions of the partners in the community, including the lobster fishermen who provided 3,000 pounds of shellfish to make the boxes.

As a three-time Madeli-Aide scholarship recipient who had to leave the archipelago to study in 1998, the Fatima-born litigation lawyer sums up what such recognition means for young people.

For the time being, the Foundation plans to keep the home-based formula for next year, motivated by the success of the boxed lunches but also because of the uncertain health context.

However, Mr. Aucoin mentions that the objective is to present the event again on board one of the CTMA’s ships.

He adds that surprises are in store for the 25th anniversary of the Madeli-Aide Foundation, which will take place in 2023.