Holiday Photos at Andara Gallery

Website Editor • December 23, 2021

BLOOMFIELD, December 23, 2021

The spirit of Christmas was at an all time high on Thursday, December 23rd
at ANDARA Gallery in Bloomfield.

As part of their annual ‘ODE to JOY’ Art Show and Sale, Tara Wilkinson and Andrew Csafordi, artist-owners of the gallery festively decorated their century-old barn with a stunning 16-foot Christmas tree from Denmar Farms and welcomed local residents and visitors alike for the second year to visit the barn for a COVID-safe, socially distanced “Holiday Photo in the Barn”.

Over 1,000 guests brought their own camera and the staff took the photo while wearing PPE in exchange for a donation to the PECMH Foundation’s Back the Build campaign. The fundraiser ran for 42 days from November 12 until December 23, 2021.

Close to a thousand individuals, couples, families, work colleagues and groups of friends came to the barn for a photo - raising $10,000 for the campaign to build a new hospital in Prince Edward County - doubling the amount they raised in 2020!

A highlight of the event was when Nadia Knarr and Paul Bastiaanssen from Noble Beast Farms brought four of their lovely alpacas to ANDARA Gallery to participate in the photo shoots on November 28th and December 5th.

“We were happy to provide such a joyful experience for our community that brought people together safely to create happy memories while raising money for the new hospital campaign,” said Wilkinson. We are indebted to our friends and neighbours who helped us with this year’s event… and to the hundreds of people who came to have a safe, festive photo taken in our beautiful century old barn. Many happy holiday memories were made here again this season.”

“Thank you to Tara and Andrew of ANDARA Gallery and everyone who supported this event. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference in the care you and your family will receive in our new hospital,” said Nancy Parks, Back the Build campaign co-chair. We are extremely grateful to everyone who supported this festive fundraiser as we work to modernize and enhance health care services to ensure people living in and visiting our community continue to have access to care close to home,”.

ANDARA Gallery is a fine art gallery showcasing works in photography and encaustic paintings year-round in the heart of Prince Edward County. ANDARA Gallery plans to continue this holiday tradition next year and thanks everyone for sharing in this joyful experience. Many of the photos taken this year can be seen on their homepage slideshow at andaragallery.com and on Facebook and Instagram at #andaragallerypec.

The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to raising funds to advance health care for the patients of the hospital and the people of Prince Edward County.

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Community Spirit Shines as Bake Off Breaks Fundraising Record PICTON, September 24, 2025 – The sweet smell of success filled the air at the Picton Fair as the 16th annual Bake Off Challenge raised a record-breaking $18,700 for the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation (PECMHF). With more than 50 entries and enthusiastic bidding, the community once again proved that a passion for baking can translate into life-changing support for local health care. Proceeds will go toward the purchase of a digital mammography machine, a critical tool for early breast cancer detection. Since 2007, the Prince Edward Agricultural Society, who host the Bake Off has raised over $64,500 for the hospital. This year’s event included a special one-time memorial apple pie category in honour of the late Deputy Fire Chief Jim Young, who was the inaugural Bake Off winner in 2007 with his unforgettable apple pie. A total of 26 apple pies were entered in his honour, raising an incredible $8,250 on their own. Jim’s parents, Colleen and Murray, and daughters, Dahnon and Kendyl, were present to celebrate his legacy. Entries were judged by Ken Menlove, a local lawyer; Jordan Smart with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Auxiliary Unit; Mike Roy, a community member; and Chris Malette, MP for Bay of Quinte. The auction produced plenty of highlights. Firefighter Autumn Benlap’s Caramel Apple Spice Cheesecake topped the apple pie category and sold to Dr. Sarah Waterston, and Elizabeth Lodge’s Lemon Cream Pie, named best overall pie, sold to Herman Prinzen. “The Bake Off is more than a fundraiser — it’s a celebration of community spirit and generosity,” said Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECMH Foundation. “This year’s proceeds will support the purchase of a new digital mammography machine for the new County hospital, and we are so grateful to every baker, bidder, and volunteer who made that possible.” “The Bake Off has become a highlight of the Picton Fair, and it’s inspiring to see how much it has grown,” said Susan Harrington, president of the Picton Fair Board. “The generosity of our community never ceases to amaze us. Thank you to everyone who baked, bid, or volunteered to make this year such a success.” The Agricultural Society also expressed its gratitude to the many individuals and local businesses who made the event possible. “There’s something truly special about seeing friends, neighbours, and businesses come together over pies and cakes to support health care,” said Nancy Parks, Back the Build campaign chairperson. “This event proves that even the simplest of traditions can make a lasting impact on our community.” The Foundation is proud of its longstanding partnership with the Agricultural Society and looks forward to welcoming everyone back to next year’s Picton Fair. The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to raising funds to advance health care for the people of Prince Edward County and patients of the hospital.