Music for a Winter Evening

17 Wednesday Dec 2014

Posted by dianasschwenk in Hump Day Chronicles, My Stories

Tags

addiction, Alberta, Calgary, Calgary Dream Centre, Canada, caring, Charity, Christmas, community, compassion, Diana Schwenk, generosity, Homelessness, Hump Day Chronicles, living in the moment, mission, Music for a Winter Evening, Philanthropy, Relationships

The most effective and satisfying investment you will ever make is to invest in the lives of people…

Last night I went to the 14th Annual Music for a Winter Evening at the EPCOR Centre – a beautiful, traditional Christmas concert that set the mood for this ‘most wonderful time of the year.’

Hosted by Calgary’s very own beloved Darrel Janz with performances by Corpus Christi Male Chorale and special guest Tenore, it was a magical evening; setting the stage for the Christmas season. All proceeds from the concert and the Room for Hope Campaign benefit the Calgary Dream Centre in their work to help men break the cycles of addictions and homelessness.

During the evening, Luke, a client of the Calgary Dream Centre, along with his mom, took the stage and shared his moving story about struggling with addictions and overcoming them through the Dream Centre’s 49-day treatment program. I am so proud of Luke and admire his beautiful mom for standing by him; her love never allowing her to give up on her son.

This beautiful and inspiring evening would not have happened without the faith in the treatment program, and financial backing of, Legacy Kitchens and Dennis Plintz & Associates with Sotheby’s International Realty Canada.

Thank you to the brave men who work hard to change their lives, the inspiring performers, the above-mentioned sponsors and to all those who bought tickets and donated toward this campaign. You are making a real difference for men like Luke.

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

What are you doing to get into the holiday mood?

No one should be left out in the cold

03 Wednesday Dec 2014

Posted by dianasschwenk in Hump Day Chronicles, In My Opinion, My Stories

≈ 43 Comments

Tags

believe, Calgary, Calgary Dream Centre, Canada, Charity, community, compassion, Corpus Christi Male Chorale, courage, Diana Schwenk, dreams, Fundraising, generosity, Hump Day Chronicles, Legacy Kitchens, Music for a Winter Evening, Room for Hope Campaign, Tenore

Addiction traps you in a seemingly inescapable cycle.

It drives a wedge between you and your loved ones.

It steals away your ability to live your life to the fullest.

And is compounded for those who are experiencing homelessness.

Take Jason for example. Addiction holds a tight grip on his life and it tears away at all the dreams he holds in his heart for a better life.

He wants nothing more than to pull these pieces of his life together again. To restore his relationship with his children. To feel like the provider and father he so desperately wants to be.

For several months, I have been working with a dedicated group of partners on The Room for Hope Campaign – a campaign whose goal it is to help 75 men escape the cycle of addiction and homelessness. Their commitment, passion and determination has been a great source of inspiration for me. What a privilege it has been to facilitate the process of this campaign.

About the Room for Hope Campaign

Room for Hope is a 9-week campaign (October 10 – December 16) that culminates with the Music for a Winter Evening Concert hosted by Darrel Janz with performances by The Corpus Christi Male Chorale and featuring Guest Artist Tenore at the Jack Singer Concert Hall.

Legacy Kitchens and Dennis Plintz & Associates with Sotheby’s International Realty Canada are proud sponsors of the Room for Hope Campaign to benefit the Calgary Dream Centre. They have set an ambitious goal to raise $120,000 through this campaign and the Music for a Winter Evening concert.

The campaign is a local, well-established event that has fundraised $1.3 million in the last 13 years toward alleviating homelessness in Calgary.

The Calgary Dream Centre’s addiction treatment program is a 40-day program based on the Hazelden’s ‘Living in Balance’ and ‘Integrating Dialectical Behaviour Therapy’ model. It includes a room, meals, addictions counseling and on site meetings. From there, recovering men move into shared transitional housing with continued treatment and emphasis on developing a toolbox for life. The Calgary Dream Centre also offers housing throughout Calgary with continued supports; ensuring the greatest long-term success for program graduates.

It costs $1,600 to complete the treatment program. $280 helps a man for one week. $40 helps a man for one day.

If you live in Canada will you consider donating to the Room for Hope Campaign this year?

If you live in Calgary and would also like to attend the Music for a Winter Evening concert, please click here to learn more and get your $30 tickets.