An annual fundraiser held last Friday evening (March 15) can only be described sweetly.

Close to 150 people attended the Cochrane Pregnancy Care Centre Gala at the Cochrane Alliance Church and the feeling of community was certainly in the air.

From volunteers to board members to those that have utilized the centre's services, the gala evening was a shining example of how our community comes together to support much-needed organizations in our community.

Although the evening included dinner and a program, a real highlight was their unique spin to a live auction. While many auctions include getaways, recreation opportunities and/or days of pampering, the gala auctioned off sweet treats donated by some amazing bakers from our local community.

Laurel Pedersen, Executive Director for the Cochrane Pregnancy Care Centre says it is always such a highlight and a hoot to watch the auction in action. This year, Community Builder, Stu Bradley had the honour of upping the bids along with the help from his bid catchers Will Irvine and Don Fraser. "They gave it their all and thanks to them we broke our previous record of 2400 dollars per cake with a 5000 dollar cake."

Auctioning off 12 cakes and a will and estate package donated by Mountain Vista Law, Pedersen says the auction itself brought in $20,000 of the $37,000 overall total. "We are so grateful for the generous support of the community and our donors."

The monies raised from the event will mostly go towards their operational budget, says Pedersen, but the centre has some big goals they are pursuing. "I am so excited; we are working with people from Canmore and we have Morley right between the communities and we are starting to build bridges. We are looking forward to being a regional hub and having client's access us more easily. When we have a maternity home and a program centre we can be a hub for the west and will finally be able to say you won't have to go to Calgary."

Personal stories were also shared during the event which showcased what impact the Cochrane Pregnancy Centre has had on those who have utilized their services and programs. "I know that being part of those people's lives and stories is a real honour and a privilege." 

Pedersen says they had quite a few new people attend the gala this year which means awareness is also building as to how important their services and programs are to the overall community. 

A special thank you was also made to the Cochrane Alliance Church and Spray Lake Sawmills for their support of the event.

If you would like to learn more about the Cochrane Pregnancy Care Centre, go HERE.

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Gala Evening Provides Much Needed Operational Funding