Book Market cancels both sales during 60th year

Book collection and drop-offs suspended

Winnipeg, MB (July 24, 2020) – The Children’s Hospital Book Market fall 2020 sale has officially been cancelled. With continued COVID-19 restrictions and concerns for the health and safety of more than 300 volunteers and the participating public during the event, the semi-annual event has now had to cancel both its spring and fall sales for 2020. Due to the inability of volunteers to gather to pick up or sort books since the pandemic was declared, no books are being collected and the public is asked to NOT drop books off at firehalls or Dufresne Furniture and Appliances stores, as they will not be accepted.

The annual book sales were set to mark 60 years of operation in 2020. Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba wishes to thank the hard-working volunteers – some of whom have volunteered along with generations of their family members throughout the years.

“We are filled with gratitude for the hard work that these volunteers do all year long, every year. We also appreciate the efforts of partners involved, like Dufresne Furniture, Winnipeg firehalls, and St. Vital Centre for supporting the Book Market. We hope to see all these partners again for a Book Market sale next spring,” says Grande.

The Book Market typically raises over $300,000 of the $500,000 needed each year to fund important programs that help make a hospital stay a little less scary. This includes resources like Children’s Hospital TV (CHTV), the in-house TV station run by Child Life Program specialists that provides free age-appropriate television programming for all patients and broadcasts a live one-hour daily interactive show that engages and brightens the day of kids in hospital.

The Child Life program is more important than ever while COVID-19 visitor limitations remain in place in the hospital. Child Life specialists spend time with patients and use art, humour, play and music therapy to help kids cope with the stress and uncertainty of illness. They ensure kids continue to have access to opportunities for play and imagination, books, toys, storytelling, and craft activities.

If you would like to support kids in hospital with the gift of play, please consider making a donation similar to the amount you would have spent on a book, by clicking Donate Now at goodbear.ca.

About Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba

The Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba is dedicated to ensuring that every child treated at the HSC Winnipeg Children’s Hospital receives the best medical care possible.
Since 1971, with incredible donor support, the Foundation has raised more than $100 million to improve the lives of sick and injured children from Manitoba, Northwestern Ontario, and Nunavut. Funding supports important programs that bring comfort to sick children during difficult times, the purchase of life-saving equipment, and the advancement of pediatric health research that will improve the lives of children everywhere. Learn more about ways to help at goodbear.ca.