More than $200,000 raised at Chautauqua May 1, 2007 Paul Frey, Olds Albertan

A total of $266,836.26 was raised in support of the Gateway Centre on Saturday during the second annual Chatauqua at the Cow Palace. The total amount of funds raised for the Gateway Center is now approaching the $4 million mark - more than a quarter of the amount needed for the estimated $15-million facility.

B & M Home Hardware Building Centre handed over a cheque for $162,237 at the event, while Harvey and Carley Cole donated $50,000 toward the project. Joe Gustafson raised the most amount of money in the "Kiss the pig" contest at just over $2,000. In total, Olds mayor Judy Dahl, Gustafson, Mountain View County Reeve Al Kemmere and CKLJ radio personality Dan Butler raised $4,599.26 toward the Gateway Centre.

"We were very pleased with the support from both the community and from our agricultural supporters and from our volunteers that pitched in to help with ... all of those aspects (of the event)," said Tami Gardner, general manager of the Olds Agricultural Society. "We are dependent on our volunteers at every event that we do and they always come through for us in a big way."

A total of 326 people attended this year's Chautauqua, up about 80 from last year's event.