This year, we were honoured to celebrate the 10th Anniversary Gala of Grace — a milestone recognizing a decade of community, generosity, and collective impact.

The Gala of Grace, presented by Beem Credit Union, was founded in 2016 by a group of women who believed there was more our community could do—especially when we came together—to address violence against women. While organizations like ours were already providing vital services, they saw an opportunity to raise both awareness and action, bringing this often-hidden issue into the light and fostering meaningful community dialogue.

On April 17, an inspiring community of women and allies gathered in the bright, vibrant space of the Pipe Shop to celebrate Gala of Grace's 10th anniversary and the extraordinary momentum that has been built over the past decade. Together, we reflected on how far we have come, honoured the collective effort that made it possible, and looked ahead to the work still to be done.

Fred Lee, MC and Auctioneer, a week-long stay for 14 guests at beautiful Sakinaw Lake. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Steele family for their longstanding support and for helping us mark this important milestone year. Guests also bid on two exceptional private chef dinners for 10 generously donated by Edge Catering, along with a weekend staycation with two-nights at Coal Harbour’s Westin Bayshore, dinner at Hawksworth, and two tickets to see Bruno Mars in concert on Saturday, October 17. We are equally grateful to Ashdale Gallery, the Wickaninnish Inn, and the many local businesses whose generous contributions helped make the both the live and silent auctions such a success.

We heard inspiring reflections from Patricia Kelly, Yavanna Mussatto, and Tammey George of the Gala of Grace Founding Committee, who shared stories and insights from the past decade, and the importance of speaking out against violence and abuse.

We were also honoured to welcome back keynote speaker Susanne Biro, whose message resonated deeply. She reminded us of the power that emerges when we trust our inner voice and lead with courage, and that the Gala of Grace has always been about more than fundraising. It is about what becomes possible when women come together in support of one another.

Following a standing ovation for Susanne's powerful address, our community responded with extraordinary generosity. We were deeply moved by a number of leadership gifts, including a $10,000 donation from the Beedie Foundation, a $10,000 pledge from Jynelle Burton, and a $5,000 gift from Janet LePage, alongside many other generous donations from individuals and businesses committed to creating safer communities. The Gala of Grace raised more than $208,000 (and counting!) in support of women and families experiencing violence.

To everyone who attended, donated, volunteered, sponsored, or helped spread the word: thank you. Over the past 10 years, the Gala of Grace has helped expand safe housing, strengthen crisis and support services, and contribute to more than 70,000 client interactions, program visits, and calls for help answered through North Shore Crisis Services Society. These achievements belong to all of us. Thank you for being part of this meaningful event and creating lasting change for women, children, and future generations.