Locals can help out a non-profit organization, enjoy some live entertainment and purchase great gifts with one stop during the fourth annual Howe Sound Women's Centre fundraising Saturday May 1.
With nearly 100 donated items up for grabs at the silent auction, co-organizer Marie Blott said she's hopeful the event can at least match the $5,000 it raised for the centre last year.
"To expect more is maybe a little too hopeful because I know that the economy is down right now," said the event founder. "So we might do a little less, but we're working just as hard."
Thus far, businesses have donated dozens of gift certificates, gift baskets, lingerie, lap top cases, car care clinic, rounds of golf and a one night stay at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler valued at between $300 and $500.
Co-organizer Deidre Plaatjes said one of the hottest auction items every year has been a giant floral arrangement that makes for a perfect Mother's Day gift.
"It's amazing how many people go for it because of course they want to give it to their Mom, and it's always a nice big bouquet."
Burger and beer tickets cost $10 per person, of which $9 is donated to the Howe Sound Women's Centre, thanks to the generous food donation of Cliffside Pub owner Thelma Yamaguchi.
The proceeds raised will help fund a few programs including the drop-in support groups, legal clinics and the hot lunch program at the Howe Sound Women's Centre.
The silent auction kicks off at 5 p.m. with live entertainment courtesy of Jeffrey James and the Bootleggers to follow. Hellyeah! Karaoke starts at 9 p.m. and will run until 2 a.m. with a 50/50 draw and door prizes throughout the evening.
Blott said she got the fundraiser rolling in April of 2006 in an effort to honour her mother Marguerite Richard who had passed away six months earlier.
"I was really close to my mother, so rather than just sitting around and moping and missing her, maybe to do something positive out of it," she said.
"I just wanted to do something in her memory. My mother had quite a hard life, she had a controlling man [in her life] but she always stuck it out, and she had 14 children and just always seemed to manage."
After dreaming about her mother at a fundraiser, Blott approached her friend Plaatjes who works at the Women's Centre and the duo got the event off the ground.
Blott said helping the centre was a no-brainer for two reasons - her mother was a regular contributor of charity bake sales in New Brunswick and she would have been an excellent candidate for a shelter program when her 14 children were youngsters.
"I'm sure Mum could have used some kind of support like that as we were growing up, it would have been to her benefit to have someone to go and talk to about it and stuff."
Howe Sound Women's Centre president Plaatjes jumped on board to help organized the one night one event because she too understands the significant role the centre can play in women's lives.
"The women's centre helped me 25 years ago when I was a single mom and I figure what comes around goes around, so I wanted to do something like this."
Plaatjes said although the centre of the early '80s offered fewer services than it does now, it still provided for women in need of support.
"The difference the Women's Centre made even way back then they really did a lot," she said. "They didn't have a lot of the programs back then but they always made you feel welcome when you went in there."
Tickets can be purchased through Plaatjes, Blott, the Cliffside Pub, the Bookshelf or Billie's Bouquet.
Organizers are still accepting items for the silent auction. Anyone interested in donating can contact Plaatjes at 604-848-1516 or Blott at 604-892-4968.
