Wine In The Sky
October 28, 2010 by Sheila Whittaker · Leave a Comment
I love drinking wine. But there are some special opportunities that come along that allow you to drink for a good cause. I’ve been made aware of the Wine In The Sky event which is a centerpiece of activities for this November — Adoption Awareness Month in BC.
The fun and sophisticated evening will be held on November 20 at 7 p.m. at the Vancouver Lookout, hosted by Global TV’s Catherine Pope, an adoptive parent herself. The event is a fundraiser for the Adoptive Families Association of BC (AFBC).
While enjoying the amazing 360-degree view, guests can sip fine wines from around the world, nibble gourmet foods from across BC while grooving to live jazz performed by musicians hand-picked by Vancouver’s Gabriel Mark Hasselbach.
There will be live and silent auctions, including an exclusive wine section and … wait for it … the Vancouver firefighters are back by popular demand on the auction block with “Fire in the Kitchen,” a custom meal cooked and served by some of the city’s most handsome firefighters!
From AFBC’s press release:
“But the real story isn’t the event,” says Karen Madeiros, Executive Director of AFBC. “It’s the children who are waiting for families. For too many of them, time runs out. Our goal is to tell more stories like June’s–to find a family for every child.”
June is 21. Four years ago, after spending most of her life in foster homes, she was adopted. With a family to applaud her when she graduates from university, dance at her wedding, and support her when she starts her own family, June’s chances for success in life are good.
James, also 21, spent most of his life in foster homes, too. But, unlike June, he “aged out” of the system at 19. Without the permanency of a family to celebrate his successes, catch him when he falls, or just make him a birthday cake, research shows that James is significantly less likely to succeed in life.
The following numbers paint a stark picture for young people who reach 19 without finding a permanent family:
- Girls are four times more likely to have an unplanned pregnancy.
- 45% of youth will experience a form of homelessness in their first year out of care.
- 73% of young offenders are former youth in care.
- 21% of youth in care graduate high school compared to 78% of the general population.
June and James (not their real names) are just two of the reasons that people across North America celebrate Adoption Awareness Month. In BC alone, there are almost 1,000 more reasons just like them.
“Throughout November,” says Madeiros, “we host events designed to raise awareness about adoption, raise funds to support adoption, and above all to celebrate adoption as a way of building strong families, one child at a time.”
Tickets for Wine In The Sky are on sale now at www.bcadopt.com. Early Bird tickets (until November 5) are $95; after November 5, the price rises to $125. A VIP Group of 10 tickets goes for $1250 and includes valet parking, a complimentary drink, and a cocktail table reserved up front.
