The annual Diamond Dinner and Auction held Saturday at the new Signal Point Gaming banquet and convention hall was a sold out event raising more than $23,000 for children and women.
“Both the Child Development Centre and the Women’s Contact Society are very pleased with the event and really appreciate the support from the community,” says Women’s Contact Centre Executive Director Irene Willsie.
Funds raised will help to support the local Women’s Contact Society’s Good Food Box program for women and programs for children at the Child Development Centre.
Willsie says Central Coast Adventures donated a fishing trip that topped the live auction items going to Merle Gardner for $5,800.
Ed Macala won the 35 point white Canadian diamond from the Ekati Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories that was raffled for the fundraiser. The diamond, valued at $1,950 was donated by Woodland Jewellers and includes a setting of choice.
“I told everyone I was going to win. It was my turn,” says Ed’s wife Lori. “When they called Ed’s name I won anyway.”
All 110 tickets for the fundraiser were sold in advance.
Willsie says the Women’s Contact Society held its annual general meeting Monday Oct. 21 in its new location at 51A Fourth Avenue South and now has two new directors, Alison Mann and Marion Langstaff.
The new board will be sworn in at the November meeting.
Keynote speaker at the annual meeting was Ceil Patenaude, who will be facilitating a new eight-week program for women in January and February called Living your Potential.
“Ceil was a huge hit at the agm,” Willsie says.