EDMONTON – The Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation is suing a sponsor of its annual Snowflake Gala for failing to pay the sponsorship dues and for an auctioned trip to see Oprah.

According to a $95,000 statement of claim filed in Court of Queen's Bench on Dec. 14, Bob Dale Gloves & Imports Ltd. entered into a three-year sponsorship agreement with the Stollery in 2009 to be a diamond sponsor for the Snowflake Gala fundraiser.

The terms of the agreement were that BDG would pay $50,000 a year over the three-year period and the Stollery would publicly recognize BDG director Denis Dale and his wife Dianne as diamond level sponsors of the gala.

As well, the company would receive two 10-person tables at the gala for each of the three years.

According to the statement of claim, BDG complied with the terms for 2009, however, in spite of repeated demands for payment, BDG has allegedly neglected or refused to pay the $50,000 invoiced for the 2010 Snowflake Gala, despite receiving its allotted tables and getting public recognition as diamond level sponsors.

As well, the foundation alleges that Denis Dale has neglected or refused to pay a $45,000 invoice sent after he made the winning bid at the 2010 gala for a trip for two from Edmonton to Chicago to attend a live taping of the Oprah Winfrey show, along with $2,000 in spending money and $23,540 in diamond jewelry.

According to the statement of claim,  the couple attended the taping on April 7, 2011, and received the spending money and jewelry.

The foundation alleges BDG and the Dales have been "unjustly enriched" at the expense of the Stollery and are seeking $95,000 in damages plus legal costs.

Statements of defence have not yet been filed.