Children's Hospital Book Market is BACK!

The Children's Hospital Book Market is readily anticipating its grand return to St. Vital Centre this September to raise funds for hospital improvements and further research.

On September 16 and 17, The Children's Hospital Book Market is returning for the first time since the spring of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

"The Children's Hospital Bookmark is a Manitoba institution. It was actually established in 1961 and it is the longest-running, volunteer-organized fundraiser in support of the Children's Hospital Foundation of Manitoba," says Stefano Grande, CEO of Children's Hospital Foundation Manitoba. "Usually, there are two book markets held per year, spring and fall, and it's driven by an incredible board of volunteers and it takes over 200 volunteers to run the Children's Hospital Book Markets every year. We have an incredible director Carol Irving, and a resilient board of volunteers who are just so committed to this cause of improving child health and supporting the Children's Hospital and Research Institute through our foundation and so we're so thankful."

Grande says that almost every year, disregarding the past two years, the event raises almost $500,000 through book sales. All proceeds go towards improving the Children's Hospital and provincial research.

"In fact, this year, all the funds raised are going towards our $75 million Better Futures campaign this is Manitoba’s largest ever donor-driven fundraising campaign in the support of child health. The Better Futures campaign focuses on three strategic areas where these dollars will be allocated, including enhancing and strengthening child health research, pediatric healthcare in the areas of infrastructure and facilities and technologies, like revitalizing emergency departments, supporting our child life programs."

Child life programs include music therapy, in-house television and a library program.

Stefano is looking forward to the first full-fledged book market and with the storage facilities at maximum capacity right now, the Children's Hospital is not accepting any donations.

"You know, the storage facilities of the Children's Hospital book market are full, and the only way to empty those books and accept new books is by Manitobans coming out September 16th and 17th and buying all of them."

With the storage facilities at maximum capacity right now, the Children's Hospital is not accepting any donations.

In early August Children's Hospital Book Market brought back a miniature version of the book sale by hosting a Comic Book Market.

"It was a great way of shaking off some of the rust from the volunteers to get ready for our even bigger event this September. I, personally, felt it was a great way to get out certain segments of our community who support comic books."

When asked which genre he prefers, Grande admitted that he enjoys history books, such as World War I and II, urban planning books and city life-cycle books. 

"One of the things that Manitobans will find when they come and visit the book market at St. Vital mall is the diversity, the number of genres from self-help, sports, memorabilia to children's books, I'm sure more comic books as well. The keen book lovers will probably find something really unique and authentic to add to their collection."