Lanark County Interval House and Community Support recently held C.R.A.V.E, its first-ever virtual raffle. The acronym stands for Community Rallies Against Violence Everywhere; LCHICS hoped the raffle will be a reminder that gender-based violence is an unfortunate reality in our community.
The raffle gave one lucky participant the chance to win $100,000. Glenda Lee of Carleton Place was named the winner in the draw which took place on Wednesday, June 16. “I bought a ticket thinking I was contributing to a great cause, I never thought I would win,” said winner Glenda Lee. “I am so overjoyed to be the winner because this gives me the opportunity to share my own story and experiences [with abuse].”
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate effect on women and incidences of gender-based violence are on the rise, the need for donations is high. Throughout the pandemic, lockdown measures were put in place to keep the community safe, but many women and children found themselves trapped at home with their abusers. The demand and need for the shelter is higher now than ever, at a time when fundraising is most challenging.
Knowing the community looks forward to events like Violet Femmes and Feed the Fight each year, LCIHCS knew they had to come up with a fun and exciting fundraising event to help lift the spirits of all community members. “This was a new venture for us in order to respond to our fundraising realities during this pandemic,” said Executive Director Erin Lee. “We appreciate that the community continues to show up for our agency. We have learned about the complexities of this type of route as a tool but we are thrilled with the endless possibilities.”
Lanark County Interval House and Community Support has been offering emergency and ongoing programs to women and children living in or escaping from domestic violence for over 40 years. For more information about the agency, please visit www.lcih.org
