The first ever Rock the Dress Valentines Benefit Gala managed to not only raise thousands of dollars but the event is also being described as an amazing night that far exceeded organizers’ expectations.
“It was amazing,” says Lise deMoissac, one of the event organizers, following the sold-out event. “Everyone was super excited about it and really into it.”
She says that as people began arriving Saturday evening to the Rec Centre, she, along with fellow organizers Leslie deMoissac and Roseann Brousseau, were amazed by the amount of people who came dressed in their wedding gowns, and other formal attire.
“It exceeded our expectations,” says Lise, adding, most of the men also showed up dressed in their suits and ties. So far, all the feedback the trio has received has been really positive.
The following day, a number of attendees posted comments on the event’s Facebook page.
“Everyone was saying it was great,” says Lise. She says that people were especially impressed by the décor and the entertainment, which included a DJ and local country musician Brett Kissel.
As soon as Kissel took to the stage on Saturday night and began playing, people flocked to the dance floor. Wedding gowns, old bridesmaids dresses and graduation gowns were worn by most of the women in attendance, while the men matched their dates in similar formal attire.
At least 350 attended the event, which was sold-out, says Lise. But aside from everyone having a great time, the Rock the Dress gala was also a huge success because of the money that was raised.
At least $20,000 was raised through a silent auction and a live auction, with that money being directed to the Pink Heart Campaign, which supports the three families that were most affected by the Racette tragedy on Oct. 25.
A photo booth and 50/50 draw raised over $2,000, which will be donated to the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton. And the bar raised money for students and staff at Racette School who have had to deal with the aftereffects of the tragedy.
The money raised at the bar will be given to the school to do something positive “and congratulate the kids on their courage,” says Lise. An exact number of the total amount raised had yet to be calculated.
Organizers would like to thank everyone who attended and supported the event.
“If nobody would have showed up it wouldn’t have been successful at all,” says Lise, adding an extra thanks was owed to the volunteers who helped out in any way with the event.