Women had the opportunity to celebrate and support women-led households in the community by attending the second annual Butterfly Gala on March 16.
With over 160 women attending, the Butterfly Gala raised $4,800 for women in need of support in the community.
“All the funds raised go towards a portion of Christmas with Dignity, that is set aside specifically to support women in need,” said Chair of the Butterfly Gala Megan Matthies.
“Any woman can experience an unexpected change in her life, circumstances where she suddenly isn’t sure where to turn,” Matthies said.
“The funds raised will help women with emergency funding, supporting efforts to leave abusive situations, and help with transportation to job interviews or medical appointments,” she added.
Throughout the night, women enjoyed watching an aerial artist, indulging in great food, and had conversations with like-minded women, all while wearing that dress from the back of their closet that never gets worn.
The Butterfly Gala has seen such success because the atmosphere is a fun space to be in, the women who attend have a good time, and meet new friends, Matthies said.
“The 2019 Butterfly Gala was stunning,” Matthies said.
One guest referred to the Butterfly Gala as a magical evening, she added.
“We really wanted to amaze our guests this year. We had the most incredible décor, amazing food, and wonderful performers,” she said.
Matthies favourite moment during the evening was an interactive choral experience.
Half the room learned the harmony to an ABBA song, while the other half of the room learned the melody.
“It was really beautiful to hear all the women singing together,” Matthies said.
Matthies and the organizing committee changed a few things from last year’s Butterfly Gala debut to ensure the evening was as great of an experience as it could possibly be for the attendees.
Changes from last year included adding more seating for women to rest and changing up the entertainment, Matthies said.
“We had double the attendees of last year so there were some new things to learn but overall we are very pleased with how it went,” she added.
The Butterfly Gala is only possible because of the sponsors and volunteers who donate their time to support the gala.
“Thank you to everyone who made the evening possible,” Matthies said.
She added, without the dedication from women on the organizing committee who spent many hours thinking of every detail for several months, the evening wouldn’t have been possible.
“From brainstorming in November to cleaning up the very last extension cord on Sunday, they worked tirelessly to create a beautiful evening.”
