Money raised at the 20th annual Scottsville Dinner and Auction on March 6 will go towards upgrading the Children’s Healing Centre at the Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter.
Ray McBeth, chair of the 2014 dinner and auction planning committee, said having a safe place for children to play and unwind after the trauma of domestic violence definitely promotes healing.
“They’ve created a place just like a Disneyland for these kids,” McBeth said on Thursday.
“It’s without question the most popular thing we’ve done for the shelter. When they make the announcement at nine o’clock in the morning that the Children’s Healing Centre is now open, those kids come out of those bedrooms flying like rockets. I’m not kidding. You could get trampled.”
The SNOEZELEN room with its comforting water, light and sound features help children de-stress and the electronics in the Kinsmen Teen Room help youth stay connected with school and their friends.
When the healing centre first opened in the shelter’s basement in 2010, it was billed as the first of its kind in Canada.
McBeth said 20 years ago the dinner started out as a celebrity waiter event and this year about eight celebrities will be serving wine.
He said Mayor Tara Veer is already onboard to serve and she will be contacting the mayors of Edmonton and Calgary to see if they will serve wine in Red Deer for a great cause.
Comedian Danny Hooper will be back and so will silent and live auctions. The live auction will once again feature a new vehicle from Kipp Scott GMC Cadillac Buick.
“One thing that has never changed is the community support,” said McBeth about the annual CAWES fundraiser to be held at the Black Knight Inn.
Organizers are still on the lookout for quality silent auction items, gift certificates and financial donations.
For more information, visit www.cawes.com.
szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com