2nd Annual 'Illuminating Hope' Garden Cocktail Party Recap

On June 7, 2024 The Today Centre hosted our 2nd Annual ‘Illuminating Hope’ Garden Cocktail Party at the lodge at Snow Valley. We chose the theme ‘illuminating hope’ in celebration and recognition of the hope that comes on the other side of family violence. Though we recognize the courage and bravery of those experiencing family violence, the theme serves as a reminder for victims-survivors that they are not alone in their fear, uncertainty, and trauma. It is a reminder that there is help for them and their unique experiences, whether that is in talking with experienced professionals at The Today Centre or having a friend in their corner to walk alongside them in their journey towards healing. It is a recognition that life doesn’t end with abuse and that there is so much more to accomplish and thrive in afterwards while making an impact on the world and community.

Rachel’s Story

Our first guest speaker, Rachel Rogers, shared her story of hope and survival with us in such a beautiful way, writing her experience as a story capturing all of the emotions and fears that came with leaving her marriage of 20+ years one fateful evening. Through compassionate friends, concerned family, and a loving daughter, Rachel was able to leave and stay with close friends who took her in and cared for her. She shared what she’s grateful for looking back on that period of her life and what she’s learned since then, sharing her newfound freedom from coercive control and that she uses the words ‘domestic abuse’ instead of ‘domestic violence’, because there are numerous ways to exert control over someone without violence. Rachel invited us into her story by reflecting on the ways she sees the work of others in her life and how she is now living her best life as a mother, grandmother, and friend who enjoys the outdoors, has championed the ‘Gifts of Hope’ event for ACWS, and found ways to take care of herself in a myriad of ways. Since leaving Rachel is thriving, living her best life, feeling fulfilled, and reaching her potential as the CEO of her life.

“What have I learned? That I am not alone. There are services for victims of domestic abuse like those of The Today Centre. If I had known about their services, the story I read might not have happened. I could have worked with their family violence specialists to create a safety plan to leave in a less traumatic way.”
— rachel rogers

lillan osborne student solidary committee

Lillian Osborne Student Solidarity Committee Student Volunteers/Butlers

First Row (Left to Right): Ricky, Ishaan, Muen, Hannah

Second Row (Left to Right): Essica, Rachel, Fiona, Preston, Sean

We would like to pass along an incredibly big THANK YOU to the Lillian Osborne Student Solidary Committee for volunteering their time and energy in helping make this event a success! We had ten students from the Student Solidary Committee come out to assist us as student ‘butlers’ for our reserved tables at the event. They were a HUGE hit with our guests and our guests felt very loved and appreciated with their timeliness, servant attitude, generous hearts, and kind enthusiasm for the event! These students assisted individuals up and down the stairs/elevator, were there to grab drinks or food for guests, helped load auction items and plants into vehicles, and were overall a huge help to those who needed it. We are so thankful for these students and could not be prouder to have them as a part of our team!

A big thank you also to Essica, Alex, and Muen of the Student Solidarity Committee who were members of our event planning committee and have assisted us since January in planning, accruing financial partnerships and auction items, and more! Their support has been so appreciated and we are so excited to work with the new executives next year! Thank you also to Preston, Ricky, Hannah, Ishaan, Fiona, Rachel, and Sean for your time and energy as our butlers!

Renae’s Story

Renae Hopf, our second guest speaker, shared her story of hope and survival by sharing analogies related to her work as a Combined Laboratory and X-Ray Technologist (CLXT). Renae invited us into her experience by reflecting on the ways individual people can illuminate hope in others lives. Through her story, Renae shared how individual people can make a big difference in someone’s story of hope and experience with abuse, sharing how much individuals from EPS, The Today Centre, Child Services, and the Court greatly impacted the trajectory of her journey towards survival. She has since developed a website to safely store valuable evidence for court cases related to family violence and has written a book on the effects of coercive control and emotional abuse on victims of family violence, even beginning to develop curriculum for lawyers and judges in recognizing family violence in the court room. Renae has also become an accomplished professor, technologist, writer, website developer, and motivational speaker, sharing her superhero identity as ‘the woman with a missing pant leg’ with every person she meets and encounters. Renae loves her life as a mother of two and an enthusiastically mediocre guitar player.

“The Today Centre helped me own my story. Not only did they pick me up off the ground when I was at my lowest, but they also helped me with the website for survivors. They helped me with the research for my book. They didn’t just get me ‘here’, they got me ‘HERE’. If you experience family violence, regardless of your race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, The Today Centre will help you find hope.”

  • Renae Hopf

Throughout the evening guests were welcome to enjoy patio games outside on the grass, read more about The Today Centre and the programs and services we offer, bid on a wide selection of silent auction items, sip and enjoy our welcome drink (Lavender Lemonade with or without gin), purchase a floral vase from our Salisbury Greenhouse microfundraiser, listen to a live guitarist and fiddler, enjoy the spectacular display of abilities by metal bender Tony Reid, get their picture drawn by our caricaturist, or simply enjoy some tasty food and delicious cocktails.

Guests enjoying the patio games outside

Lillian Osborne Jazz Band - Playing upon entry to the event

salisbury floral micro-fundraiser

Thanks to the incredible generosity of Salisbury Greenhouse, we sold out of all 60 prize bags in our floral micro-fundraiser and raised $3000 for The Today Centre! As a part of the fundraiser, guests purchased a floral vase with a number on the bottom corresponding to a prize ranging in value from $52 to $210! Guests each received a 4” succulent and could win either a eucalyptus bundle, indoor arrangement, spa kit, $50 floral arrangement voucher, 6” potted plant, a $100 gift card, or an outdoor plant arrangement.

We give a special thanks to Andre and Richel of Salisbury who put so much thought and effort into this beautiful floral fundraiser that was a big hit with our guests! Their hard work and dedication to this fundraiser and our event does not go unnoticed and we could not have made this event a success without them. We are so grateful for the partnership we’ve formed with Salisbury and their support for the work that we do in our community.

Our In-kind Partners

Our financial partners

We want to pass along a thank you to our community and financial partners for helping us ‘illuminate hope’ for others! Your generous contributions and investment in our mission means the world to us and enables us to host events like these to help raise awareness about family violence and the work we do, while fundraising to keep us running, and therefore, helping more people who need us. Thank you!

A big thank you to:

A special thank you also to our community partners and supporters who purchased a reserved table and received a personal butler to utilize for the evening!

Another thank you to our incredibly generous in-kind partners for their donations and contributions to the evening! Because of their support we raised a significant amount for The Today Centre! We are so grateful!

A big thank you to:

  • Councillor Andrew Knack (Door Prize)

  • Angela How

  • Anwen Zhu

  • MLA Brooks Arcan-Paul (Door Prize)

  • Councillor Ashley Salvador (Door Prize)

  • Frances Plane with Atma Yoga

  • Banded Peak Brewing

  • Allison Barkwell with Barr LLP

  • Brittany Falk

  • Canada Brewhouse

  • Century Hospitality Group

  • Scott Lopetinsky with Century Vision Care

  • Jocelyn Crocker with Chez Pomegranate Fine Art

  • Citadel Theatre

  • Code Ninjas

  • Rick Bronson’s The Comic Strip

  • Confetti Sweets

  • Crumbl Cookies

  • Edmonton Elks Football Club (Early Bird Prize Partner)

  • Edmonton International Airport

  • Edmonton Springs Golf Course

  • Edmonton Symphony Orchestra/The Winspear Centre

  • El Corazon

  • eLiasz and eLLa Jewelry

  • Nathan & Kayla Flim with Fort Distillery

  • Shawn Tully with HGA CPA

  • Highwood Distillers

  • Joanne Zinter with Zinter Brown

  • The Keg

  • Kind Ice Cream

  • Klein Art Restoration Inc.

  • Kris Friesen

  • Laser City

  • Joel Hollingsworth with Metterra Hotel

  • Tony Reid with Mind Over Metal Steel Art

  • MKT Bar & Fare

  • PACT Coffee

  • Kin Leong with Proforma NBT

  • Pure Casino Yellowhead

  • RAD Torque Raceway

  • RejuvaDERM

  • Renaissance Edmonton Airport Hotel

  • Roberta Taylor

  • The Sage Pub

  • Safeway Riverbend

  • Sarah Dargatz

  • Sheri Blossom Art

  • Sonora Dunes Golf Course

  • Snow Valley

  • Stephanie Tostowaryk with Toastography

  • Square1 Coffee

  • Sweetpea & Grace Boutique

  • SYC Brewing (Tasting)

the tomorrow fund

During the evening, we soft launched a new project called ‘The Tomorrow Fund’, an opportunity to raise funds as a foundation for the basic needs of the organization. The Tomorrow Fund will aid in covering costs associated with the basic needs of the organization, such as rent, internet, utilities, office supplies, bookkeeping, and Advancement personnel. In doing so, The Tomorrow Fund will be an ongoing and unrestricted supply to help alleviate some of the financial stress and concerns associated with running a successful and efficient nonprofit organization.

The Today Centre’s ability to sustain it's basic business-related needs in this current economic climate is a struggle and can adversely affect the organization’s vital client-based needs and services. To help address this ongoing concern, the development of The Tomorrow Fund provides a new pathway of revenue that creates a foundational base by which to operate opportunities for growth and become better equipped to address the increasing needs of victims and survivors of family violence.

If you feel called to, please thoughtfully consider partnering with us financially and invest in The Tomorrow Fund. We want to take this journey together with you and sincerely hope that you extend your hand in making this a possibility. Together, we can create a world where voiceless victims become courageous survivors, where silence is broken with stories of strength, where today’s violence is replaced with tomorrow’s tranquility. Together, for a safer tomorrow.

*Please indicate in private message section ‘The Tomorrow Fund’

thank you to our volunteers

Lastly, thank you to our incredible event and committee volunteers who helped make this event run smoothly! Whether that was from greeting guests, running our Salisbury walls, mingling with guests, or exercising their creative side in making décor, we are so grateful for each and every one of them! Their time, energy, and continued commitment do not go unnoticed and we are so proud to have such a wonderful group of people to have behind the scenes ensuring every detail is executed. Thank you!

thank you

Thank you for joining us in sharing in Rachel and Renae’s stories and for your support in attending and learning more about the work that The Today Centre does in assisting those in our community experiencing family violence! Without you, we would not be able to continue the work that we do in providing a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for those who need it most. Together, we can ‘illuminate hope’.

“One person can make a difference. YOU can make a difference. You can share your hope with someone, when they have no hope left.”

  • Renae Hopf

Events, FundraisersCommunications SpecialistEvents, YEG Events, YEG Nonprofit, YEG, Edmonton, Local Events, Edmonton Events, Education, Family Violence Awareness, Fundraising, Fundraiser, Business, Edmonton BusinessComment