Friends of Rowan House Newsletter- 7th Edition - May 2011

The Rowan House Hope and Healing Gala is just two weeks away!

Sherrie Botten, Executive Director of Rowan House Emergency Shelter, would like to personally invite you to our upcoming Hope & Healing Gala. The Gala is our big fundraising event of the year. We are hoping the proceeds will put us ``over the top`` in our ability to start our house this summer! C

It plans to be a fun evening with great entertainment, informative speakers, including Calgary City Police Chief, Rick Hansen, and great auction items to bid on.

There will also be an exciting announcement from Rowan House made at the Gala as well. We hope to see you there!

Our Capital Campaign is really revving up!

We are excited to share that our capital campaign is two-thirds of the way to our goal. This will enable us to build a new, larger, more secure Rowan House. Our fundraising campaign will continue even after the new facility breaks ground as we will need to operate our building at three times our current funding capacity. But this will also allow us to provide services to everyone who comes to us in need. Last year we turned away 42 women and 29 children due to our safety and size restraints. This is more than double the number of women and children we were able to serve.

What started out as the simple wish of an eight-year-old boy with a passion for hockey to create a fun event for kids in High River has culminated into the Second Annual Fury in the Foothills Junior Street Hockey Tournament.

On June 11 & 12, 2011 the High River Boston Pizza will once again play host to hundreds of future hockey superstars! It is only through the generous support of businesses and volunteers that will allow such a special day to take place.

The event was such a huge success last year that it has now expanded to include communities throughout the Foothills. The tournament this year will take place over two days with three separate age divisions, six game zones, a super skills area and much more, including a Family Dance for all ages featuring live music from local band McLean’s Cherry.

This day is truly about the kids in our community. With the event expected to more than double in size this year, we need all the help we can get! There will be games, events, food and fun for the whole family. What started out as a simple street hockey game has turned into a community event for the whole family!

We believe that the Fury in the Foothills Junior Street Hockey Tournament is more than just a great day for our kids. It is also a chance to give back to our community. That is why all proceeds from the event will go directly to support the Rowan House Emergency Shelter.

Please let us know if you have any fundraising ideas that you or your business would like to include in this event. Help connect us with friends, colleagues or vendors that you deal with that may be interested in supporting this day. Or even challenge those within your profession or industry to match your donation.

Whether through volunteering, sponsorship, donation of items or direct financial support, the success of this event depends on developing partnerships with the Foothills community. If you are interested in supporting the Fury in the Foothills Junior Street Hockey Tournament in any way, please contact Deanna Tretiak at 403-601-4553 or by email at dtretiak@shaw.ca

For more information please visit our website at http://www.furyinthefoothills.com/

Shelter News

The Healthy Relationships Group is an eight week educational group on topics ranging from the cycle of domestic violence to self esteem.  Women are able to attend for two hours on Wednesday nights, to share and learn about domestic violence in their lives.  Further, the Healthy Relationships group provides an excellent opportunity for women to connect to other women in similar situations, and resources within the community.  The Healthy Relationships group has grown in size considerably since the first in September 2010.  The last session of group, running from March 16, 2011 to May 4, 2011 has served a total of 13 women thus far, resulting in 58 sessions attended by these women.  The women within the group have expressed that the most important thing they have learned from the group is the fact that “they are not alone”.  This is incredibly powerful information for rural women in domestically violent relationships, as isolation is a key component an abusive relationship.  The Healthy Relationships Group has proven to be an excellent place for women to grow, learn and connect.

Rowan House’s Children’s Program is operating in order to increase safety for children of Rowan House clients and to increase the child’s knowledge of bullying and violent behaviour. The program is available to women who are residential or outreach clients to Rowan House, as well as women attending the Healthy Relationships Group. The Children’s Program has substantially increased its numbers since it first began in September 2009.  Over the past year, 97 children attended the program creating a total of 220.5 hours of programming. It is significant to note the number of children attending is directly correlated to the success of the Healthy Relationships Group, where 90.7% of the children attending the Children’s Program are accessing it while their mothers are in the Healthy Relationships Group. Further it is important to note the Children’s Program workers are blessed to have two local volunteers assisting with the children Wednesday evenings. Without these volunteers the program would not be as flourishing as it is!

How to Help

·         Don’t forget to purchase a ticket to the upcoming Hope and Healing Gala! Tickets are $200 per person or $1400 for a table of 8!

·         Coco Rouge in Okotoks and Vespucci in High River both have an account set up in Rowan House’s name.  If you are looking to donate gently used clothing these two stores will forward the proceeds to Rowan House

·         Shop and Share

o   People can go to www.shopandshare.ca and select from a wide range of well known, brand name stores, shop online, and then have a portion of the proceeds donated to Rowan House. It’s free for you and for Rowan House so create an account today!

That’s it for this edition. Join us next month for another exciting look at what’s happening!

In the mean time, you can visit www.rowanhouse.ca or call the office at 403-938-6785 for more information. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

 

  

MOTHERS DAY EVENT

Stop by on April 16th to do all of your Mother’s Day shopping in one trip! th 2011 nd Ave and 1st Street SE, High River
Date: April 16
Time: 10am-2pm
Location: Salvation Army Church 2
Vendors Include:
Tupperware
Epicure
Lia Sophia
Scentsy
Hand Made Phoenician Glass
Princess House

ROWAN HOUSE'S ANNUAL HOPE AND HEALING GALA IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER

For Immediate Release:

ROWAN HOUSE'S ANNUAL HOPE AND HEALING GALA IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER

High River, AB March 29, 2011 -- The 2011 Hope and Healing Gala is set for Saturday, May 14^th at the Highwood Memorial Centre in High River, Alberta.

Executive Director, Sherrie Botten says, “This is our biggest fundraiser of the year. The money raised through this event will bring us that much closer to being able to break ground on our new facility this year!”

Rowan House Emergency Shelter is a tiny, two bedroom facility located in the basement of an adolescent group home. We have significantly outgrown our current facility and are in desperate need of a larger, more secure shelter.

“Every year, we turn away more families than we can house. In 2010 alone, Rowan House housed 21 women and 10 children and helped 24 women and 28 children through our outreach program. In that same year we were unable to accommodate 43 women and 29 children,” says Botten.

We have purchased land in the Town of High River and are well on our way to building a new shelter. We need an additional $500,000 to complete this facility.

Tickets to the gala are $200 each or $1,400 for a corporate table of 8 and can be purchased by calling 403-938-6785.

We are also looking for donations of auction items.

With the generosity of the community, the dream can become a reality in 2011!

Media inquiries can be directed to:

Sherrie Botten

Executive Director

Rowan House Women's Emergency Shelter

403-938-6785

Attached is a listing that Rowan House has for a mobile home

Hi Everyone

Attached is a listing that Rowan House has for a mobile home. Please circulate to people who you think may be interested.

It is a donation so all proceeds will go toward the new facility.

Thanks for helping out.

CHECK IT OUT AT http://abmls.mlxchange.com/Pub/EmailView.asp?r=1981605143&s=ALB&t=ALB

Healthy Relationships Group (Register Today)

Do you know someone struggling in a relationship?

Are you struggling in a relationship?

Then Please come to the

Healthy Relationships

Group

For Women

Call 403-933-3370 to Register!

Free child care/coffee/snack

MARCH 2011 NEWSLETTER

Hope & Healing Gala 2011

Rowan House’s 2011 Hope and Healing Gala is set to take place on May 14^th at the Highwood Memorial Centre in High River. Mark your calendars and tell all your friends!

Our gala committee is hard at work and planning for this event is well underway.

Here’s a small taste of what you can look forward to:

Toshi Jackson & the Silhouettes are a true tribute to Diana Ross & The Supremes. Their "From Mo-Town to Moo-Town" show takes the audience on a musical journey everywhere from The Supremes to The Dixie Chicks.  Through great musical arrangement and choreography, audiences find themselves grooving, dancing, and singing along to Motown, classic rock, country, rhythm and blues, soul, funk, pop, and everything in between.

Larry Ray has been performing Elvis’ hits for 15 years.  He has won numerous awards and made radio and television appearances and has been showcased in Canadian Living magazine.

Jim “Bearcat” Murray is a former trainer for the Calgary Flames and continues to be a community ambassador for the team. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.

How you can help:

We are a registered non-profit society with charitable status and we rely on the support of community donors to continue our programming and services. Without the amazing support of local businesses and individuals, Rowan House Emergency Shelter would not be able to protect the women and children of the rural Foothills.

Currently Rowan House is a tiny two bedroom facility located in the basement of an adolescent group home. We have significantly outgrown our current facility and are in desperate need of a larger, more secure shelter. Every year we turn away more families than we can house. We have purchased land in the Town of High River and raised $700,000 to date. We need an additional $800,000 to complete this facility in 2011. This dream will only become a reality through the generosity of local businesses and individual supporters.

We are asking for your support. This is your opportunity to truly make a difference in the lives of women and children throughout the Foothills community. Funds raised at our Hope and Healing Gala will go directly to build this new Shelter. We are also requesting donations of auction items for the 2011 Hope & Healing Gala.

Please be a proud supporter of Rowan House Emergency Shelter and be a part of making a difference!

Did you know…the Rowan tree is also known as the Mountain Ash. The berries, often retained through the winter, symbolize the endurance of life through the dark of the year and the tree itself was said to afford protection to the dwelling by which it grew. Rowan trees have traditionally been associated with peace, sanctuary, privacy and beauty. The Rowan Tree symbolizes what we at Rowan House stand for.

Events and Fundraisers

Events to Watch For:

·         March 23^rd – Evening of Indulgence by Generations Chiropractic – Women over 18 are welcome to come to the Heritage Inn in High River between 7-9pm with the first 75 women receiving a goodie bag. (A huge “Thank You” to Generations Chiropractic for donating the proceeds from last year’s event to Rowan House!)

·         May 5^th – Nanton Resource Fair

·         May 14^th – Hope & Healing Gala – Tickets are $200 per person or $1400 for a table of 8.

·         June 11^th & 12^th – Fury in the Foothills http://www.furyinthefoothills.com

·         October 1^st (date moved from April 2^nd) – Scrapbooking Convention http://scrapbookinokotoks.blogspot.com/

*please note the Soup Sisters Launch has been postponed until Sunday, March 27^th.

Ongoing:

Coco Rouge Boutique (200 Southridge Drive) in Okotoks accepts consignment clothing for the Rowan House account. If you would like to donate clothing, it should be clean, gently used, and folded into garbage bags. When you drop it off at Coco, let the staff know it’s for Rowan House and usually within 2 weeks the clothing is ready for sale. A portion of the sales go to Rowan House.

This and That Décor (48 North Railway Street) in Okotoks are donating $2 from every teddy bear sold, to Rowan House. You can also shop online at their website http://thisandthatdecor.ca.

Did you know…Alberta leads the provinces in domestic assault, homicide-suicide, stalking, and is third in domestic homicide.

Volunteer Corner

Thank you to all of our volunteers! Your work is greatly appreciated and without you, many programs at Rowan House would not be possible!

If you would like to volunteer or you’re looking for more information, please contact Gisele at volunteer@rowanhouseonline.org or at the office at 403-938-6785.

Did you know…50% of clients in shelters are children and 50% of clients turned away are children

That’s it for this edition. Join us next month for another exciting look at what’s happening!

In the mean time, you can visit www.rowanhouseonline.org or call the office at 403-938-6785 for more information. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

And don’t forget to tell your friends and family about Shop and Share at www.shopandshare.ca.

People can select from a wide range of well known, brand name stores, shop online, then have a percentage of the proceeds donated to Rowan.  It’s free for you and for Rowan House so create an account today!

 

Please join us for an evening of kitchen camaraderie and delicious soup making as we mark the official launch Soup Sisters Diamond Valley in support of Rowan House.

Monday, February 28, 2011 Diamond Willow Artisan Retreat

5:30 PM cocktails and appetizers
Introductions and opening remarks:
Sharon Hapton, Founder of Soup Sisters
Lynn Lynn, Vice Chair of the Board, Rowan House
Guest Chef Nixon Darren, Cafe Divine
Pat Lothrop, Diamond Willow Artisan Retreat
6:15 PM Let the soup begin!
We'll be breaking into groups and creating
4 nurturing and delicious soups
that will be delivered fresh to the women
and children at Rowan House the very next morning.
The evening will culminate with a
light meal wonderfully prepared by you, our inaugural Diamond Valley Soup Sisters
http://www.soupsisters.org/

Guest Chef
Darren Nixon
Divine Restaurant
Tickets are $75 and will go to ensure the ongoing sustainability of Soup Sisters becoming operational in Diamond Valley.
Your support will provide:

• The first batch of approximately 180 servings of fresh soup to Rowan House  
• A re-useable supply of glass bowls and plastic 'to go' containers for storage, delivery and serving of Soup Sisters soups.
• A Soup Sisters keepsake apron and tote bag for you to take home
• Cocktails and appetizers followed by homemade soup and wine pairing.

Buy your launch ticket at www.soupsisters.org

Coco Rouge Boutique Consignment Accepts Clothing Donations!!!!

Co Co Boutique accepts consignment clothing for the Rowan House Account.  Lots of women want to donate their clothing to the Rowan House, so another way to do this is to take those clothes to Co Co Rouge Boutique in Okotoks for the Rowan House Account. 

Clothing should be clean, gently used, folded into garbage bags & dropped off @ Co Co.  The staff @ Co Co know about the account & usually with 2 weeks the clothing is in stock & ready for sale

Check out their website for more information.

http://www.cocorouge.ca/

Co Co Rouge Boutique

200 Southridge Drive

Okotoks, AB

T1S 0B2

(403) 995-3365

February 2011 Newsletter

Feature Story: 2011 Gala

Rowan House’s biggest fundraiser of the year is fast approaching! Our 2011 Hope and Healing Gala is set to take place on May 14th at the Highwood Memorial Centre in High River. Mark your calendars and tell all your friends! Our gala committee is hard at work and planning for this event is well underway.
Here’s a small taste of what you can look forward to:
Classic Motown choreography, stunning costumes and unique harmonies describe the group "Toshi Jackson & the Silhouettes". This glamorous illusion entices the ears and eyes of its audience. A true tribute to Diana Ross & The Supremes, the leader of the group was born and raised in Los Angeles and has worked at Motown Records. Performing at various functions including hotels, casinos and private functions, "Toshi Jackson & The Silhouettes" have also performed with their counterparts - The Legendary Temptations. They feel that the music they sing should reflect a true expression of love which in turn, touches the heart and spirit of their audience." Also, Larry Ray has been performing Elvis Presley for 15 years. Winning numerous awards for his impersonating, making radio and television appearances and showcasing in the Canadian Living Magazine have been a few of his accomplishments as an entertainer. He enjoys performing and has the experience to show for it.
How you can help:

We are a registered non-profit society with charitable status and we rely on the support of community donors to continue our programming and services. Without the amazing support of local businesses and individuals, Rowan House Emergency Shelter would not be able to protect the women and children of the rural Foothills.
Currently Rowan House is a tiny two bedroom facility located in the basement of an adolescent group home. We have significantly outgrown our current facility and are in desperate need of a larger, more secure shelter. Every year we turn away more families than we can house. We have purchased land in the Town of High River and raised $700,000 to date. We need an additional $800,000 to complete this facility in 2011. This dream will only become a reality through the generosity of local businesses and individual supporters.
We are asking for your support. This is your opportunity to truly make a difference in the lives of women and children throughout the Foothills community. We are requesting a donation of auction items for The 2011 Hope & Healing Gala. Funds raised at our Hope and Healing Gala will go directly to build this new Shelter.

Please be a proud supporter of Rowan House Emergency Shelter and be a part of making a difference!

Events and Fundraisers

• The Cowboy Christmas dance held December 11th raised $1588.87!
• Hockey Day in High River raised $5600.00!
• The Foothills  Training Centre Call to Arms Seminar raised $5000.00!
• The Charity Checkstop in Okotoks raised a total of just under $10,000 which was split with the Salvation Army.  Rowan House recieved $4700.00!

Also a big thank you to everyone that helped out and donated during the Christmas Campaign! Almost $4000.00 in gift cards were donated for client use this year.

Congratulations to our quilt raffle winners!

Queen size quilt donated by High River Handy Craft Guild - Sheila Virgo
Baby quilt donated by Chinook Quilters - Keilie Gates
Quilted runner donated by Rosanne Herchak - Margeret Chin

Fundraisers to watch for:

• April 2nd Scrapbooking Convention
• May 14th Hope and Healing Gala - tell your friends!
• June 11th & 12th Fury in the Foothills http://www.furyinthefoothills.com/ 

Volunteer Corner

Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped out during the Christmas Campaign and all of the other events and fundraisers that were held during 2010. Without you, these things would not be possible! We look forward to what’s to come in 2011.
Also thank you to those who have come on board to fill a number of needed positions. We now have Newsletter Publishers, a Social Networking volunteer, Child Care Attendants for the Healthy Relationships Group, a Donations Coordinator, a Storage Facility Organizer, and our 2011 Gala Committee!
We are still in need of drivers for pick and drop off of donations and/or to take donations to Outreach Clients. If you know of any gentlemen that are willing to volunteer their time for Rowan House, please have them contact Gisele. We will try not to over use their generosity, but sometimes we need to move heavier donations to and from different locations.

Something else to think about: The Soup Sisters organization and the Diamond Willow Artisans Retreat are partnering with Rowan House! Here’s what they’re looking for:

The Soup Sisters support women’s shelters across the country with the very simple and heartfelt gesture of providing homemade soup. They were founded in March 2009 by Calgarian, Sharon Hapton and their local launch is February 28th.

We will need a maximum of 4 volunteers for these bimonthly soup making events. We would really like to get at least 8 volunteers so that they would only have to work every second event, although if you wish to be at every event that is okay too. The events will be held on a Sunday but the exact time is still to be determined.

We will be used for meet and greet, registration, and of course clean up. The participants in this event will be paying a fee to make the soup (this is how the ingredients for the soups are purchased).

The participants will make 4 different kinds of soup at this event and all of the soup will be donated to Rowan House for its women and outreach clients.
After the soup is made and packaged it will be dropped off at the shelter.

If you are interested please let Gisele know ASAP so she can set up a meeting with Pat Lothrop at the Diamond Valley Artisan Retreat about 4.5 km west of Turner Valley and clarify the rest of the details.

Visit www.soupsisters.org for more information.
If you would like to volunteer or you’re looking for more information, please contact Gisele at volunteer@rowanhouseonline.org or at the office at 403-938-6785.

The next volunteer meeting will be held on February 7th at the Elizabeth Street Office at 1:00 p.m. For those that cannot do daytime meetings we are working on a time that is best for those who wish to meet in the evening. 


That’s it for this edition. Join us next month for another exciting look at what’s happening!
In the mean time, you can visit http://www.rowanhouseonline.org/ or call the office at 403-938-6785 for more information. You can also find us on facebook and twitter.
And don’t forget to tell your friends and family about Shop and Share at http://www.shopandshare.ca/.
People can select from a wide range of well known, brand name stores, shop online, then have a percentage of the proceeds donated to Rowan. It’s free for you and for Rowan House so create an account today!