Tickets for this year’s highly anticipated Camp fYrefly Gala Wine Tasting and Silent Auction went on sale Tuesday but every single one was snapped up by Thursday. The organizers weren’t surprised, however, since last year’s gala set the same pace.
The rush for the fundraising event proves to organizers the public strongly believes in the cause. The weeklong leadership camp is described as an educational, social and personal learning retreat for the vast non-heterosexual youth community aged 14 to 24. It gives its participants the opportunity to develop and solidify their character and leadership potential to not just better their own lives but to turn them into community-minded citizens as well.
Camp fYrefly was co-founded six years ago by Kristopher Wells, an educator with the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Education. He and Dr. AndrĂ© P. Grace saw a need all across the country for a nurturing and mentoring retreat for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-identified, two-spirited, queer and allied (LGBTTQ&A) community. The structured atmosphere provides a variety of adult-facilitated and peer-led activities and workshops to help build self-esteem, social understanding and leadership skills. Last year the retreat hosted 60 participants in St. Albert. Over the years it has become so popular that it has branched out to other provinces including British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
Wells is very encouraged by the demand.
“The response has just been phenomenal.”
He explained there is a strong and still-growing recognition of what it has encouraged in youth ever since the very beginning.
“The idea was to help to empower these young people to be able to go back to their schools and find support to make [them] inclusive spaces where they no longer have to hide, where they can be accepted and valued for who they are, not for who society tells them they should be.”
He added that they strive to benefit society in general as well as provide important and support to the participants. “It’s about our community coming together to support its youth and recognizing that it’s the diversity of our community that is our greatest asset.”
Nowadays you can find evidence of its success at area high schools where LGBTTQ&A youth have already established their own communities through extracurricular clubs, such as gay/straight alliances. Further evidence comes when you look at the long list of supporters for the camp and the event as well. Wells suggested that people who weren’t fast enough to get tickets can still support the cause by bidding online for auction items or by sponsoring one youth’s camp stay for $300.
This year’s camp takes place in July.
Vegas: Bring Your Bling<br />Camp fYrefly's Fifth Annual Gala Wine Tasting and Silent Auction
Saturday, March 6<br />8 to 11 p.m.<br />deVine Wines <br />10111 - 104 St., Edmonton<br />Each $100 ticket provides a $60 tax-deductible contribution to the camp.<br />Call 780-492-0772 or visit www.fyrefly.ualberta.ca for more information about the camp or the U of A's Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services.
