Bottles of red and white wine are sought for a fundraiser to help Tri-City graduating students in financial need get to their year-end dinner and dance.
Celia Chang, owner of Port Moody Flowers in NewPort Village, will accept the bottles until Feb. 19 for the pub night wine draw; the event takes place on Feb. 21 at the Burrard Public House (2414 St. Johns St.) in PoMo from 5 to 8 p.m.
Money raised at the pub night is used by members of the Enchantment Project —similar to the Cinderella Project in Vancouver — to purchase dinner and dance tickets as well as pay for hairdressing and make-up application on the grads’ special day.
For boys, the funds go toward tux rentals from Black and Lee, said Carrie Clark, an aboriginal youth worker in School District 43 who is part of the Project’s fundraising committee along with Carol Todd, Pam Becker, Cencherie Brisbin, Deanna Jones, Lorna Whalen, Shari O’Neill, Kelly Zimmer, Janine Close and Jill Reid.
Clark, who works at six Tri-City schools including Gleneagle secondary, said the Project has grown exponentially since she got involved in its second year, in 2011: The committee has become bigger as the student need has grown.
Last year, about 35 girls were referred to the Project by SD43 youth workers and counsellors while about 20 boys took part (the committee won’t know this year’s numbers until the end of January, Clark said).
The 2017 pub night fundraiser brought in more than $4,000 for the cause thanks in part to the donations of 72 wine bottles. And this year’s event will also gain funds through a 50/50 draw and a two-night getaway to Whistler.
Meanwhile, Project organizers are also asking for the public’s help to donate formal dresses as well as accessories, purses and shoes; they can be dropped off at any SD43 high school as girls referred to the Enchantment Project have the opportunity to select a gown, at Pinetree secondary school in March; volunteers will ensure the dresses are dry-cleaned and altered before the dinner and dance, Clark said.
Shari O’Neill said many grads in previous years have returned their grad dresses to the Project because they want to pay it forward “to help another girl for the following year,” she said.
• Wine donors are asked to attach their name to their bottle when dropped off at Port Moody Flowers (259B Newport Dr.). Tickets for the pub night are $25 for a burger and alcoholic drink. Email [email protected].
