Fall Fundraisers for Adults and Teens Find Success at Dinner – SteinbachOnline.com

The Challenge for Adults and Teens in Central Canada hosted fall fundraising banquets the past two weeks with successes on many levels.

Keith Stewart, director of regional development, says he has hit the road for a series of fundraising dinners across the region. After successful events in Winnipeg, Niverville and Steinbach, his travels have taken him to Dryden and Thunder Bay, with the next banquet to be held Monday at Winkler.

“It’s a roadshow. We do dinners in every community where we have a community office or residential campus. In total, we have 10 dinners lined up over the next three weeks.”

Stewart says they had a strong turnout at the Steinbach event on Monday, October 28. He adds that they had over 150 participants. “It was our biggest event yet and we’re just building momentum as we go.”

The theme of these dinners is ‘Be part of a story’ and features participants from the Adult and Teen Challenge sharing their personal journeys.

“The guests are wonderful. They heard the stories of our students and other participants, which was very powerful. And people have been incredibly generous, which helps us continue to offer our programs.”

The evenings are not only beneficial for the guests; they also create a supportive atmosphere for program participants. “It takes a lot of strength and courage to share their stories, but they’re doing a fantastic job and it’s part of their healing process.”

Community support plays a crucial role in these events, says Stewart. “We see the whole community rallying around us. And it’s not just people involved in the Adult and Teen Challenge, it’s also representatives from different churches and other community members coming out to show their support.”

While the response has been encouraging, Stewart admitted that fundraising has been a challenge this year.

“There are a lot of worthy programs that are asking for help, and we’ve seen a drop in donations, and these dinners are one way we hope to address that, but we may need to do more to make up the shortfall.”

For those who couldn’t attend a dinner but want to contribute, Stewart encouraged them to visit Challenge for adults and teenagers website at www.teenchallenge.tc.

“You can make a unique gift or become a monthly partner. Every bit helps.”

Looking ahead, Stewart noted that dinners are still to come, including in Winkler on Nov. 4 and other winter activities such as the popular “Sled for Eternity” ride.

“We expect a big crowd in Winkler and always appreciate the support of the community.”

That Challenge for adults and teenagers As the fall fundraising tour continues, the focus remains on building connections and sharing stories that inspire hope and change that help overcome addictions.