CASA CHARITY AUCTION SEEKS TO FILL $1M GAP
Filmmaker, chef among those helping charity fill void left after events cancelled
A top Canadian filmmaker, whose work has been screened around the globe, is offering to coach a would-be moviemaker to help CASA, the charity that helps families who have a youngster with a mental health issue.
Also offering to help in the CASA Shop For Mental Wellness auction is chef Doreen
Prei, a Michelin-star trained, award-winning chef who has worked in many top hotels and restaurants and recently won an episode on the Food network show Fire Masters.
“We are delighted so many friends have stepped up to help fill the $1-million hole left in our 2020 budget when many of our annual fundraising events were cancelled because of COVID-19,” says Nadine Samycia, the CASA Foundation executive director.
“Some 3,500 families will seek help from our professionals this fiscal year and our supporters know suicide is among the leading causes of death in Canadians aged 15 to 24. Some 4,000 people die prematurely each year by suicide.
“Sadly, Canada's youth suicide rate is the third highest in the industrialized world and only one of five children who need mental health help receives it.”
Helping CASA with funds on Giving Tuesday Dec. 1 this year was Frank Flaman, who suggested the $10,000 his fitness store usually donates to my cancelled Pinto on the Patio should this year go to offering matching CASA donations.
“We raised more than $30,000,” says Samycia.
Also helping fill the gap left by my cancelled Zin on the River and CASA'S annual fundraising gala is Epcor's Heart + Soul Fund, which has donated $25,000 and made CASA'S Dec. 6 to 18 Shop for Mental Health Wellness auction possible.
“It's Dylan Pearce, the award-winning husband of my talented colleague Ashley Pearce, who is offering the filmmaking tuition,” says Samycia. “He will lay out your path forward and offer followup advice.”
Also, your family can relax at home while chef Prei will tutor and chat to you in a
Zoom livestream while making selected dishes.
Other auction items among many include a one-month yoga pass; a food bike or a walking tour; a beer tasting; a wine package; ice cream every month for a year and a whisky-and-chocolate pairing.
For auction items, go to Shopformentalwellness.org.
PEERS PROSPER ONLINE
Thirty-four-year-old Brent Warren began developing mental health issues early in life and was later diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic.
“I could have struggled down a very lonely, yucky road through life,” he says. “I was so lucky a social worker referred me to Prosper Place when I was 23.”
At Prosper Place, a non-profit charitable organization, Warren says he found himself in a safe, inclusive and non-judgmental environment where he enjoyed writing.
“There were educational opportunities and unlike other places I had tried, I felt comfortable in my own skin and wrote an autobiography. In January I plan to take a creative writing course at the University of Alberta Faculty of Extension.”
But sad news. Lori Pratt, Prosper Place's executive director, says Warren and his peers face significant setbacks because in-person visitations are again temporarily closed, as they were in March.
“COVID-19 has certainly increased depression and anxiety to severe levels,” she says.
“Some peer members say their depression and anxiety have engulfed them to the point of not being able to go to the grocery store or travel by public transit to appointments.”
But staff are reaching out to members in creative ways, by telephone, email, conference call meetings and now Zoom meetings and text.
“These forms of communication will help those in isolation feel they still belong, have purpose and that someone cares,” says Pratt. “We hope to find the resources to be able to provide holiday wellness packages to our peer members.”
Philanthropists Dianne and Irving Kipnes have pledged to assist Prosper Place.
To help this charity, go to prosperplace.org/donate.
THE FOOD OF LOVE
William Shakespeare certainly did not have a coronavirus pandemic in mind when he wrote:
“If music be the food of love, play on.”
But a local music foundation knows love is needed in our community now when many families are losing a loved one and the lives of our front-line health workers are threatened.
“Our Anne Burrows Music Foundation this year marks its 40th year of helping young talented musicians and our Opus 40 Ruby Celebration will go ahead despite COVID-19,” says ABMF president Winnie Yiu-young.
The foundation was formed by the late Dr. Anne Burrows and friends to assist pianist Angela Cheng to study at
New York's Juilliard School of Music.
“Angela went on to become a world renowned concert pianist while our foundation has now provided some $1.3 million to more than 100 musicians, many of whom have become celebrated performers, conductors, composers and educators,” says Yiu-young.
“In lieu of our annual Opus concert this December, we have organized a free online
Dec. 13 performance. We hope our seven young emerging artists taking part, including Edmonton violinist Gabrielle Couillard-després and pianist Jessica Yuma, will create a feeling of loving, seasonal warmth and generate donations toward next year's post-secondary music scholarships.”