Party in the Park celebrates inclusion

ANNUAL SHELTER ME! EVENT RAISES MONEY FOR HOMELESSNESS INITIATIVE

An annual event highlighting inclusion and awareness in the city saw hundreds come together in Galt Gardens on Saturday.

The sixth annual Shelter Me! Party in the Park was a day of fun free events, food and entertainment.

Ashlynne van Buuren is the chair of the planning committee for Shelter Me! Party in the Park, and a supervisor for McMan Community Services. She said the event was intended to encourage inclusiveness in Galt Gardens and all money raised from the event was going to the McMan Homelessness Initiative.

“It’s about smashing stigma around people who live in homelessness or experienced homelessness, and bringing the entire family together to have a super-fun family festival,” she said.

“It’s al about bringing everybody together and showing then that we are all community, and we are all citizens of Lethbridge.”

In addition, van Buuren said there was an additional goal of providing a low-pressure opportunity for people in the community to learn about homelessness in Lethbridge. “We have some service agencies here,” she said. “And our emcee is giving facts about homelessness. “Overall, it’s just a low-cost, family fun day.” While the heat of the day might have kept many residents from staying all day to take part in the festivities, van Buuren said hundreds had stopped by at some point. And as a way to promote the low cost aspect of the event, van Buuren said they had given out a number of free food vouchers to low income families.

“I think there’s been a really good response from the community,” she said. “And the kids are having a great time.”

Van Buuren said the annual event is an important one in the city.

“There are a lot of unknowns in Lethbridge, and a lot of assumptions in Lethbridge,” she said. “Being a resident for many years, I think we have a lot of racism in the city and a lot of discrimination against our homeless population. And a lot of misunderstanding.”

“One of my mentors once said it isn’t racism, it’s just ignorance. And that was really beautiful to me.

“This is about raising awareness. And that’s why it’s important.”

Herald photo by J.W. Schnarr Taylor Elderton braces for impact after being knocked off his perch in a dunk tank at Shelter Me! Party in the Park at Galt Gardens on Saturday.

Five-year-old Eli Evans of Pincher Creek runs thorugh a mist station set up to keep people cool during Shelter Me! Party in the Park on Saturday at Galt Gardens.