There can be no doubting the depth of generosity in the Tri-Cities as Sunday's dinner for the family of Charlene Reaveley more than doubled its fundraising goal.
"We were shooting for $20,000," said event organizer, Tracy Turnell, a Coquitlam realtor, "and even that was a lofty goal."
But when the money from the dinner and donations were counted, $47,035 had been raised for Reaveley's family.
Reaveley and Lorraine Cruz were struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on Lougheed Highway Feb. 19. Reaveley left behind a husband, Dan, and four young children.
Tickets for the Sunday dinner at the 350-seat Cat and Fiddle restaurant in Port Coquitlam quickly sold out but that didn't stop people from flooding the restaurant with donations of money, food and auction items without staying for the event, said Cat co-owner Brad Doncaster.
And it wasn't just Tri-City residents who opened their hearts and their wallets to the Reaveley family.
"I have a client down in Palm Springs who sent in $1,000 and she doesn't even live here," Turnell said.
Approximately 156 auction items, from an autographed Vancouver Canucks jersey to furniture to several big-screen TVs, were donated for the silent auction and a woman who won over $1,000 in the 50-50 raffle draw turned around and gave it all to the Reaveley fund.
Some of the Cat's serving staff also donated their tips to the fundraising effort that night, Doncaster said.
The mayors of both Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam made appearances at the dinner, as did the family of Reaveley, including Dan, who stood with Turnell to accept a cheque for the proceeds and to follow Turnell and the entire room as they spoke an oath in Charlene Reaveley's name: "I promise in the very near future when the situation presents itself to reach out to a stranger and make a small gesture of random kindness. I promise to do something for someone I do not know just to make their day a little brighter. I promise that if and when they thank me, I'll tell them that it's what Charlene Reaveley would have done."
Sunday's fundraiser was the second in a week for Reaveley's family. Another held one week earlier at the Klahanie clubhouse raised approximately $12,000.
Meanwhile, Cory Sater, the Coquitlam man charged in the deaths of Reaveley and Cruz, next appears in Port Coquitlam provincial court tomorrow (Thursday).
Donations to the Reaveley family can be made to Dan Reaveley in trust at any Royal Bank branch. Anyone wanting to contribute must give the branch number (04320) and the account number (5032180) when making their donation.
tcoyne@tricitynews.com
