For the first time since 2020, hundreds of participants will join Women’s Place for their much-anticipated Brunch, Bid & Bowl event this Saturday, March 4. Presented by Niagara Casinos, this day of fun and fundraising at Club Italia and Cataract Bowl celebrates International Women’s Day and will once again be hosted by the extraordinary and energetic “Layne, the Auctionista”.
The 222 participants who have registered for the 2023 event will not only enjoy an exciting day of live and silent auctions, brunch and two games of bowling. They will also be some of the first to learn about exciting changes coming to Women’s Place, including a new, inclusive name and logo. These changes will help the agency to evolve so that it can engage more members of our community in addressing the root causes of family violence.
As Women’s Place Executive Director, Jennifer Gauthier, explains, “By changing our name and logo, as well as updating our mission, vision and values, we hope to engage our ENTIRE community in building a more gender-equal world in which abuse has no place. We hope that these changes will help both men and women to feel safe and seen whether they are seeking support for themselves or allying with us as advocates to end abuse.”
Local politicians, Jim Diodati, Wayne Gates and Tony Baldinelli will be speaking at the event to help mark this milestone in domestic violence services. The Niagara IceDogs’ mascot, Bones, is also planning to participate in the event by having some fun on the lanes at Cataract Bowl.
The success of Brunch, Bid & Bowl, which is already about two thirds of the way to reaching its $55,000 fundraising goal, depends on sponsors, individuals and businesses who have donated $26,584.42 in live and silent auction prizes, volunteers and, of course, participants who are raising funds online and who will be bidding on auction items.
The program for this year’s event is as follows: 9:30 Doors open at Club Italia (Silent auction open)
10:15 Welcome remarks with Layne, “The Auctionista” followed by remarks by Jim Diodati, Wayne Gates and Tony Baldinelli
New name and logo announced!!!! 10:40 Brunch Buffet
11:30 Heads or Tails? – Participants invited to donate $10 for a chance to win a $500 gift card to the Outlet Collection at Niagara
Top fundraisers announced
11:50 Live auction
1:20 Silent auction closes
2:30 Bowling starts at Cataract Bowl! (7906 Lundy’s Lane)
Please note that registration for this event has now closed.
More details can be found on the event website at www.brunchbidandbowl.org or by visiting www.womensplacesn.org.
Please reach out to Amanda Braet, Director of Development and Fundraising, for questions related to this event or Women’s Place services. 905-356-3933 ext. 240 or amanda@wpsn.ca.
At or following the event, you are also welcome to reach out to Jennifer Gauthier, Executive Director, for further information about the agency’s new name. 905-356-3933 ext. 223 or execdir@wpsn.ca.
