King’s Head Pub fundraiser hits $45,000
A beloved Exchange District pub is at the heart of a fundraiser started by its customers.
The King’s Head Pub, like many businesses during the pandemic, has struggled as public health orders have reduced operating days and capacities.
To help,fundraiser organizers Kim Wheeler and Natalie Ballentyne asked pub patrons to donate what their average tab would be.
“It had been closed off and on since March of 2020, and then with reduced capacity we just knew they were in trouble,” said Wheeler.
For Wheeler the pub is a special place. Staff attended her wedding, and her daughter got her first job there. She said it’s the welcoming and inclusive atmosphere that draws regulars and different social groups together.
“There are people there I know that would never be friends with me or I would never be in their circles, but you walk through those doors everybody’s family,” Wheeler said.
After speaking to pub staff and owner Chris Graves, all of whom were expressing concern, she thought it was time to help.
So back in May, Wheeler and a friend set up a Go Fund Me page with an original goal of raising $10,000. Three weeks and $12,000 later donations had started to dwindle, with Wheeler thinking it was time to stop the fundraiser.
She didn’t. News of a potential pub closure may have spurred a new round of donations, with Sunday’s Go Fund Me total spiking to $45,000.
“Some people have donated $6 for a glass of beer and other people have been incredibly generous and have donated between $500-750 for a single donation,” said Wheeler.
Despite exceeding the fundraising goal Wheeler said the Go Fund Me will continue if people want to keep donating.
“After 15 months of less than 50 per cent capacity, 25 per cent capacity, completely closed, this barely scratches the surface,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.