Supporting Local Community Groups

In spring 2017 we donated $750 some of Ottawa’s most devoted geeky community groups (be sure to click on their name to either bring you to a short bio about their group or to link to their website):

• Barony of Skraeling Althing (Society for Creative Anachronism)
• Doctor Who Society of Canada – Ottawa Chapter
• IKV Phoenix and Ladies Who Trek (Star Trek)
• Parlugment (LEGO)
• Steampunk Ottawa

These groups selflessly fundraise for amazing charities, provide hours of entertainment at the Geek Market and other local events, and volunteer their own time and money to create some of the best geeky ambiance the region has to offer.

Charitable Donations

Over the years, we’ve proudly supported local charities that we felt our patrons would either benefit from or that were in line with their own interests. Here are the various charities that we’ve donated money to:

• CHEO: $455.55 (raised by the Royal Princess Society at October 2015 Geek Market)
• Distress Center of Ottawa and Region: $846.67 (raised at the October 2013 Geek Market)
• Jer’s Vision: $846.67 (raised at the October 2013 Geek Market)
• Kids Help Phone: $846.67 (raised at the October 2013 Geek Market)
• Leucan: $222 (raised by Game of Thrones Cosplay Montreal at the fall 2017 Geek Market)
• Make-A-Wish Foundation of Eastern Ontario: $2,400 (raised in October 2012)
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of CHEO (thanks to the Doctor Who Society of Canada)
  • $413 (raised at the fall 2017 Geek Market)
  • $700.75 (raised at the spring 2017 Geek Market)
  • $355.30 (raised at October 2015 Geek Market)
  • $465.55 (raised at the April 2016 Geek Market)
• Ottawa Bee Keeper’s Association: $130 (raised by Shameless Envy at the fall 2017 Geek Market)
• Ottawa Food Bank: $275 (raised by Steampunk Ottawa at the fall 2017 Geek Market)
• Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary: $7,430.41 (raised at the October 2014 Geek Market)
  • $7,224.41 donated by the Geek Market
  • $206 donated by The League Of Super Heroes
• Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health:
  • $5,041.15 raised at the fall 2017 Geek Market by patrons, the Ottawa Geek Market, and at the Game of Thrones Cosplay Montreal booth)
  • $5,644 donated by the Geek Market (at the March 2014 event)
  • $600 donated by UsedOttawa.com
    
• TEMA: Because Heroes Are Human: $7,881.15 (raised at the March 2015 Geek Market)
  • $7,476.15 donated by the Geek Market
  • $200 donated by Richard Dufault Photography
  • $70 donated by The League Of Super Heroes
  • $135 donated directly at the Heroes Are Human booth by patrons
• Tysen’s Mission to a Million:
  • $1,087.15 (raised at the spring 2017 Geek Market on behalf of the Capital City Garrison – 501st Legion and the Rebel Legion)
  • $486.60 (raised at the winter 2017 garage sale)
  • $609.60 (raised at the winter 2016 garage sale)
  • $591.25 (raised at the summer 2016 garage sale)

Scholarships

When it came time to choose a charitable focus for our October 2015 event we wanted something “future”-themed since our event was taking place the same month that Marty and Doc travel to the future in Back to the Future II. And then it dawned on us…there’s no future to our fandoms if there aren’t any artists to make them. And voila! The Ottawa Geek Market Arts Scholarship Program was born, and we’ve been doing it ever since.

• For our October 2015 event, we ran a visual arts competition and gave $1,000 scholarships to three very deserving local artists in the categories of cosplay, 2D art, and 3D art.
• For our April 2016 event, we ran a short-story writing competition and gave $1,000 scholarships to three very talented writers in the categories of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror.
• For our October 2016 event, we ran a cosplay accessories competition and gave $1,000 scholarships to two amazing cosplay artists in the categories of jewellery and other accessories.

Donated Admission Tickets

In April 2017, we offered free admission to first responders, military, and nurses as our way of saying thanks for keeping us safe. 142 of them joined us amounting to $1,136 in admission.

In March 2015, we hosted a super hero-themed event and chose TEMA: Because Heroes Are Human (an organization devoted to helping first responders deal with mental health issues that they acquired on the job) as our receiving charity. To demonstrate our support to these real life superheroes, we welcomed first responders, military, and correctional officers with free access to our event, which amounted to $15,630 in admission tickets.