Butterflies say it all

IRONICALLY, it all started with an unfortunate beginning.

A woman who frequents the Point Douglas Women's Centre was having a bad day. Make that a bad week.

Not exactly a rare event at the inner-city oasis.

It was then the centre's executive director, Elaine Bishop, turned to board member Jackie Britton and lamented of the woman in question, "She's like a butterfly who just needs to be released."

So were sown the seeds for the centre's first ever Butterfly Gala, a fundraiser to be held June 28 at Michaëlle Jean Park, on the banks of the Red River.

"When she (Bishop) mentioned butterflies... that was so symbolic of what the women at the centre are all working for," said Britton.

"It's about releasing their inner beauty. We wanted to do something that would put the centre on the map because they're just scraping by but they do such great things."

The inaugural gala, hosted by Citytv's Courtney Ketchen, will feature performances by The Great Toboggan Race, Jennifer Cook, Gladys Marinko, the B-Side Apostles, along with the Norman Chief Memorial Dancers.

At dusk, 400 butterflies will be released.

There will be a live auction.

Tickets for a table of eight are $1,000, and individual tickets cost $135.

In addition, Manitoba Lotteries Corp., one of the gala sponsors, has purchased 20 tickets for women who frequent the centre (the budget includes buying each woman a new dress for the occasion) and local residents are invited to bring a blanket to watch the musical performances.

"There's going to be a lot of home-grown music," Britton said, "but I think the butterflies are going to steal the show."

For ticket information, contact the North Point Douglas Women's Centre at 947-0321.

-- Randy Turner

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 9, 2012 J5