For those looking to get a jump on Mother's Day while helping a local charity, a Victoria Harbour event might be for you.
On May 3, the Royal Canadian Legion branch 523 ladies’ auxiliary is hosting a fashion show and Mother's Day Tea at Oakwood Community Centre.
"This is our third fashion that we’ve held through our ladies' auxiliary," says lead organizer Doreen Gunson. "It will be on a bigger scale than the last two."
What started out as a potential one-off event three years ago has grown into something larger. The two previous offerings were held at the Legion with 80 tickets sold each time. The first time around, $1,500 was donated to the St. Vincent De Paul food bank with $2,000 donated last year.
"We were sold out the first two and we had an awesome time,” she says, noting some of those attending the first offering asked whether it would become an annual event.
“Did I open a can of worms here or what? "So then everyone was saying ‘let’s do a little bigger’,” Gunson says, noting the organizing committee began working towards this spring's event last September.
Tickets are $20 and include a Mother’s Day tea, entertainment, a silent auction and door prizes.
The fashion show will feature clothes and accessories from Maurices and Lilie’s Boutique at Norman’s Garden Gallery. There will also be musical entertainment provided by keyboardist Gary Ball.
"We have awesome sponsors and will have a huge silent auction table," Gunson says, noting the grand prize will be drawn after the other door prizes have been handed out.
“It’s going to be a really nice Queen for a Day thing. That (prize) is just building as I go along and canvas for donations. So, it’s all things for a lady. We have a manicure, pedicure, a washroom set, gift cards for Maurices, Kelseys and so on."
Organizers only take their expenses from the ticket sales with the balance of funds raised donated to the St. Vincent de Paul food bank.
"We have 200 tickets," Gunson says. "We do advance tickets only because that way we don’t waste food and we ensure we have enough. The least that we can spend is the more they (St. Vincent de Paul) get.
"It's kind of a win-win situation. For that $20, they’re going to have an awesome time."
The deadline to purchase tickets is April 12.
Advance tickets only are being sold for this event. For tickets call Anne at (705) 534-7819 or Doreen at (705) 209-0534.