CORNWALL, Ontario – A light-hearted evening will benefit a serious cause, when Bereaved Families of Ontario host its 13th Annual Gala Dinner late this summer.
“It’s a nice, light evening,” said Traci Trottier, director at the local branch of the agency which deals with helping community members deal with the death of a loved one.
The formal evening will feature a four-course dinner, followed by an hour of music and fun with Glengarry’s own, fiddler extraordinaire and tree-time nominee for fiddle player of the year by the Canadian Country Music Association, Kelli Trottier (yes indeed, sister to Traci). “She’ll be bringing a couple of musicians from Kingston along with her.”
Local business owner, Michael Galvin, of Computer Sense, will act as emcee and the very popular Moe Lemieux Trio entertaining during dinner.
As well, there will be six to seven thousand dollars of gifts and prizes to be given away. “Anything from Ottawa Senators tickets, to laptops, to $500 in cash; all kinds of goodies.”
As always, the gala is in support of the child bereavement programs offered by the agency.
“We run children’s groups, from ages four to twelve, with adjacent parent groups to help their children grieve. Sadly, the need is there.” said Trottier. As well, the agency holds teen workshop for youth 13 to 18.
“It’s really important that these programs keep getting funded because it’s a place for these kids to come and have a safe haven, knowing that there are other people kids that are like them, that are suffering, and that they don’t feel alone with their grief. That they can say, ‘wow someone else feels the way I do; or somebody else lost a mom.’”
With no government funding Bereaved Families, a United Way funded agency relies heavily on the gala, its only fundraiser, and the generous donations from individuals and business in the community.
“Donations are a huge for us,” she said. Without those our doors just simply wouldn’t be open to Cornwall and SD&G. That’s the basic fact of it all.”
Many thanks to all the great sponsors who make this possible, said Trottier.
“We’re already half sold out, but we want to boost that number to the max, if we can, said Trottier. “It’s our only fundraiser of the year, our key night. It’s vital that people come out and support us.”
Bereaved Families of Ontario’s Annual Gala Dinner will be held on Saturday, September 20, at the Best Western Plus Parkway Inn and Conference Centre.
To purchase tickets, please visit Scotiabank (Brookdale Centre, 960 Brookdale Ave.) or at Bereaved Families’ office, located at 216 Montreal Road.
Tickets are $90.00 each. A partial tax receipt for $35 will be issued. For further information, call Traci Trottier at 613-936-1455.