The Simcoe Muskoka MS Society is looking for families who want to test their knowledge with pub-style trivia.
The virtual Trivia for MS Couch Edition takes place on Nov. 14 from 7-9 p.m. All that is needed to participate is a smartphone or laptop.
To obtain the link to the event the cost is $50 per family household, with all funds being donated to the Simcoe Muskoka MS Society.
The event was originally scheduled for this past April at Georgian College. However, due to the pandemic, the MS Society has been shifting gears and moving its fundraising efforts online.
“People with MS are susceptible to COVID because it’s a chronic disease, so we have to move our events online,” said Andrea Butcher-Milne, the Council Chairperson for the Simcoe Muskoka MS Society.
“I realized back in the summer that during the second wave in the fall, people are going to be looking for something to do, so why not do a trivia night from home?" she said.
Locally donated prizes will be up for grabs for the winners of the event, some of which include an indoor golf simulator session and gift cards to No Frills. During the event, the MS Society will be encouraging participants to engage with each other through a Facebook Live event that will take place here.
“Instead of watching Netflix with your family bubble, you can do something different and have some good fun at the same time,” Butcher-Milne said.
During the pandemic, fundraising efforts have been tough for the local MS Society. The organization has raised 60% less in fundraising dollars compared to this time last year.
“Right now we are able to support the people that we can, we do support people locally with things like air conditioning or if they need money towards a wheelchair, home rent, things like that,” Butcher-Milne said.
However, the lack of fundraising this year may be a problem for the MS Society in the near future, Butcher-Milne warns.
“Right now we are OK because we are running on last year’s fundraising. But next year, I don’t know. We want to be able to help as many people as we can and it’s through events like this that we can maintain at least something,” she said.
Butcher-Milne also says the lack of fundraising this year could slow down MS research efforts going forward.
“Within the next couple of years, there isn’t going to be as many discoveries because we don’t have the money for the research,” she said.
Butcher-Milne says it’s important now more than ever for the local community to support the MS Society as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to put a heavy burden on those living with MS.
For people who want to register for the Trivia for MS Couch Edition event, they can do so here.
