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Tottenham resident with long history of fundraising continues her efforts

February 15, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

Tottenham resident, Eva Bradley is once again raising money for a good cause.

Over the years, Eva has been involved in many efforts raising funds for local charities and other good causes.

Turning 83 years of age this year, she says she still has one more initiative she wants to achieve over the next few months.

She has already started collecting hand-knitted items that she plans to sell.

Eva has quite the history as an individual, and her early memories of being a refugee always remind her of what it is like to be hungry, alone, or living in desperate times.

She arrived in Canada in 1956, from Budapest during the Hungarian Revolution. She had already been given up by her mother at age 11 and was living with a family in Hungary. They brought her with them when they decided to cross the ocean.

Her mother and brother were both killed in the revolution.

Eva witnessed death and destruction while crossing the border from Hungary when the group she was with, was shelled with artillery.

The family abandoned her when they reached Montreal, and she was a young teenager, alone in a strange country, and didn’t speak the language.

Fortunately, when she arrived in Toronto, another woman took her under her wing and helped her out. From Toronto, she went to Sudbury with the woman and found a job.

Eventually, she made her way to Nova Scotia where she met her husband.

Finally arriving in Beeton, she worked as a nurse’s aide.

Eve never forgot her early struggles, and in the 80s, she started fundraising for good causes.

“I always had this dream, that I needed to give something back to Canada, to repay the good things that Canada has done for me, and the people that I’ve met,” Eva said. “I really enjoy helping people. This is a way I can give back. In the 80s when Terry Fox was walking, I decided to start a fundraiser for Terry Fox, right here in Tottenham. Later on, I decided there’s something else I can do.”

Eva raised money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. She began knitting things to sell as well as having raffles as fundraisers. She has raised money for the Lions Club, the Food Bank, and the animal shelter in Allison. She also raised money for Simcoe Manor to get a new bus, Matthews House Hospice, and Stevenson Memorial Hospital.

Over the years she has raised thousands of dollars.

Things slowed down during the COVID-19 pandemic, and with some health concerns, Ms. Bradley stopped her fundraising. However, now she wants to begin a new initiative.

“This will be my last one,” she explained. “I’m doing a fundraiser for the Food Bank in Tottenham, and S.H.I.F.T. in Alliston.”

She calls her new initiative, ‘Toonies for New Tecumseth.’

Mr. Bradley points out how much could be raised if every household in town donated just one Toonie.

She began the project on Feb. 1, with the help of her friend Chrystal Robertson. She will continue fundraising until Nov. 17, 2024, with a goal of raising $10,000.

There are already events planned that you can be a part of.

On April 27, Toonies for New Tecumseth will be at the Tottenham Legion with a bake sale and raffle, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Eva and Chrystal will also be at the Beeton Honey Festival on May 25 and will have a booth set up.

You can also donate that extra toonie you have at the ‘Fill a Jar’ campaign. Several local businesses will have jars in their establishments where you can donate your toonie or extra change.

You can also donate via e-transfer, and an account has been set up at the CIBC in Tottenham.

The e-mail account is tooniesfortecumseth@gmail.com.

You can follow the fundraiser online at the Toonies for Tecumseth Facebook page.

To learn more or to donate, you can reach Eva at 905-936-4907 or 905-936-2002, or Chrystal at 905-724-0051.

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