Raising nearly $20,000, the recent Valentines for Mexico fundraiser will be spreading a lot of smiles on the faces of orphans abroad.
Approximately 420 people packed the Best Western Plus Vernon Lodge ballrooms March 9 to take part in the glamorous third annual event.
Organizer Barrita Durward is thrilled to announce that the event raised $19,243, in large part thanks to the Lodge donating the ballrooms. Those funds will support four projects, through the Sweet Smiles Foundation, assisting orphanages and less fortunate children in Mexico.
“I am just so blown away by the support of this community and that they came out to help the children live the life that they should be living,” said Durward, who leaves at the end of April to begin the projects.
“This will forever change the lives of these children and for these children to see that there are people in the world that care about them, that gives them hope.”
Durward, who owns Cotton’s Chocolates in Vernon, will return to The House of Hope and Love in Bonfil, Mexico, to continue renovations for a clean and safe home for the children.
The funds will also help Esther, the house mom who opened the orphanage 25 years ago when an infant was left at her doorstep. Esther has had a relapse in her fight against cancer with the return of the disease and cannot afford the cancer treatment.
Sweet Smiles is also assisting an orphanage in Cozumel called City of Angels with building a new home on campus.
And the gift of education will be given with 20 English scholarships at the La Gloria English school in Isla Mujeres.
“That’s 20 needy children and needy adults who are going to be able to learn English for an entire year and that will open so many doors of opportunity for them,” said Durward.
The English school is in the same town as the Little Yellow School House, which aids children with special needs. Proceeds from the fundraiser will be used to purchase air conditioners for the school.
The fundraiser to support these projects was literally a sell-out, as Durward admits there were some seating problems. But in the end everyone enjoyed the evening.
Kath and the Tomcats rocked the stage, while balloons were burst for prizes, a few lucky key holders walked away with a treasure chest of goodies, along with the successful bidders in the silent auction and tables of Durward’s own treats were a sweet addition.
