Wood’s Homes gala a success

The 21st anniversary of Wood’s Homes’ Never Give Up Gala, held Sept. 29 at Hyatt Regency Calgary, was a success, raising more than $200,000. The funds will support mental health treatment services Wood’s Homes provides to more than 20,000 children, teens and families every year. Further, funding will be directed to programming at Wood’s Homes’ third campus — recently opened in Inglewood. The unique programs offered at the campus — the first of its kind in Western Canada — provide wraparound services for homeless and at-risk youth. The EXIT Youth Hub, as the one-stop shop is called, requires $3 million in funding. And thanks to the success of the Never Give Up Gala, the hub continues to ramp up its programs and services.

Highlights of the gala included a powerful address from Andrea, a courageous parent who shared her family’s personal journey with mental health; masterful emceeing skills by CBC’s Doug Dirks and food writer Julie van Rosendaal; and top-dollar auction bids thanks to auctioneer John Copithorne.

Guests in attendance this night included: event co-chairs and Wood’s Foundation board members Eric Perez and Shannon Glover; Renee Hopfner, Sobeys director of corporate social responsibility and foundation board member; Wood’s Homes CEO Jane Matheson; foundation board chair Kata Acheson; Dr. April Elliott, chief of the Division of Adolescent Medicine, Alberta Children’s Hospital, and with Wood’s Homes youth medical clinic called C.A.T.S.; Joanne Weninger, vicepresident, Strategic Partnerships at Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation; Wood’s Homes board chair Heather Heasman and her husband David Vankka; Keyera president and CEO David Smith and his wife Betty Smith; Scott Hutcheson, Calgary 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Bid Corporation chair and his partner, community leader Lesley Conway; Barclay Street Real Estate president David Wallach and his wife Zohar; realtor Tanya Eklund; Land Solutions’ Chad Hughes; Tyrone and Kerry Mellon; Rogers Insurance’s Lee Rogers and Ebony Lewis and her daughter Jaida Lewis; Wood’s Homes Sylvia MacIver, Peter Wittig, Karen Karpuk and Madelyn McDonald; and others pictured.

BILL BROOKS From left, at Wood’s Homes Never Give Up Gala Sept. 29 at Hyatt Regency Calgary are gala co-chair Eric Perez, emcee and food writer Julie van Rosendaal, gala co-chair Shannon Glover, Wood’s Homes board chair Heather Heasman and emcee, CBC’s Doug Dirks.

WOOD’S HOMES Client/guest speaker Andrea and Renee Hopfner, Sobeys director of corporate social responsibility and Wood’s Homes Foundation board member. Sobeys is Wood’s Homes’ Honoured Partner.

WOOD’S HOMES Wood’s Homes board chair Heather Heasman and her husband, ICM Asset Management’s David Vankka.

BILL BROOKS Keyera president and CEO David Smith and his wife Betty Smith were among the hundreds of guests in attendance at the gala. Keyera was an invaluable sponsor of the successful event, now in its 21st year.

BILL BROOKS Land Solutions’ Chad Hughes, Tanya Eklund, Kerry Mellon and Tyrone Mellon.

BILL BROOKS Wood’s Homes volunteer Madelyn McDonald, Wood’s Homes Foundation board chair Kata Acheson, Alberta Children’s Hospital’s Dr. April Elliott and Heather Heasman, Wood’s Homes board chair.

WOOD’S HOMES Wood’s Homes program director Teri Basi; Joanne Weninger, vice-president, strategic partnerships, Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation and her husband Feisal Keshavjee; and Lori Humphrey Clements, Wood’s Homes director of fund development.

BILL BROOKS David and Zohar Wallach, Leslie Conway and Scott Hutcheson.

BILL BROOKS Rogers Insurance’s Ebony Lewis, Wood’s Homes CEO Jane Matheson, Rogers Insurance’s Lee Rogers and Jaida Lewis.

BILL BROOKS Wood’s Homes’ Sylvia MacIver, Peter Wittig and Karen Karpuk.

WOOD’S HOMES Wood’s Homes Foundation chair Kata Acheson with Never Give Up Gala co-chairs Eric Perez and Shannon Glover.