The elegance of diamonds and the causal comfort of denim will be on display September 8 at Pelham Cares’ major annual fundraiser, a dinner dance to be held at Amici’s Banquet and Conference Centre. Doors open at 5:30 PM. Tickets are $70 each, and are available at the Pelham Cares office (phone 905-892-5300), or online at www.pelhamcares.org.
“Tickets will not be sold at the door, and must be pre-purchased,” said Nancy Yungblut, one of the event organizers. “The evening will feature a nice dinner menu, cash bar, raffles, and a live band called Figure Four, which plays all genres of music. Proceeds from the event will be split between our Food Security Program, and the Youth Subsidy that allows children to participate in community programs.”
Yungblut said that theme name Diamonds and Denim, which was used for previous fundraisers, was brought back because “We liked its double meaning and how it applies to Pelham, being part country, and part sophistication. Pelham Cares supporters can dress it up, or come as casual as they want.”
The event has been moved to Amici’s, a banquet hall across from Brock Golfland, because it offers a larger venue.
“Last year at the Fonthill Legion, we were pretty cramped,” said Yungblut. “We decided that we would look for a hall that could seat upwards of 200 people, and we’re confident we can fill all those spots. We just went live with ticket sales and have already sold 80 tickets.”
Last year’s event raised about $18,000, said Yungblut, which was applied to food insecurity conditions in the municipality.
“Our shelves are running empty,” she said. “We have seen a 186 percent increase in new client visits in the first six months of 2023. Many people think of Pelham as an upscale community, where poverty isn’t an issue. But it’s simply not true. Thankfully, at this this time of the year we have local farmers that bring us fresh produce, which is the healthy food what our clients want. We have our big new walk-in freezer downstairs, which we stock with donated meat to provide families with protein sources. It's difficult to manage, but we are really working hard for our clients.”
