Christopher Reeve—a superhero on and off the silver screen—once said “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” As such, anyone is capable of helping others…tights and cape optional.
Look around and you’ll see our national obsession with super heroes. In 2015, they were almost half the top 10 Halloween costumes (more if you include charming antiheroes) and you can find internet tests galore assigning you a secret identity (I’m Spider Man, don’t tell).
On Friday, September 23 break out your finest hero garb for the South Sound YMCA’s Supergala. This annual fundraiser includes dinner, auctions, raffles, and activities all benefitting the Y’s mission to “provide youth and our community an affordable and accessible resource for the positive development of spirit, mind, and body through recreational, health, and leadership programs.”
“At the Y, we believe everyone can be a hero to a child,” explains director of development Jennifer Willms. “From early learning to their first sport, our community sets the stage towards successful adulthood. In today’s environment, it’s tough to raise healthy, thoughtful children. That’s why we need to surround kids with caring, adult role models, i.e. Superheroes!
“It’s easy to be heroic; please join us at our auction or make a donation in support of the event,” adds Willms. “Support of this exciting event ensures more kids have a safe place to learn in our after school child care programs, kids have fun and make new friends in summer camp, youth develop life-saving skills and self-confidence in swim lessons and no one is turned away because of the inability to pay.”
As a registered charity the South Sound YMCA is more than just the home of amazing summer camps and safe, educational childcare. Events like Christmas at the Y let low-income families shop for free presents, meet Santa, and enjoy a season that can be prohibitively expensive for some.
Their classes run the gamut from chess to cooking, babysitting safety to government debate…and that’s just for the kids. But serving almost 50,000 people per year and providing over $500,000 in financial assistance isn’t easy, even with an army of 1,250 volunteers.
That’s where the annual Gala comes in. With a fundraising goal of $100,000, Willms is excited for this year’s fun(draiser). “The South Sound Y has been hosting an annual auction for more than 12 years,” she says. “2016 will be the most fun yet: new venue, new theme, new entertainment, amazing auction items, and fun raffles. This is the first year we have had an interactive theme so come in your best Superhero costume.”
The Supergala will be held at the Capital Events Center in Tumwater. You can purchase tickets online and entry includes dinner from Ramblin Jacks, complimentary beer and wine, live and silent auctions, raffles, a professional photo booth, DJ’d entertainment, costume contest, and a dessert dash. Despite the buzz of dashing, bidding, and mingling, Willms promises a night that is “super casual, fun, and laid back.”
Auction items so far include trips to New Orleans, Hawaii, Sunriver, Palm Springs, and Coeur d’Alene. There are also Seahawks and Mariners tickets, electronics, gift certificates to local merchants, spa days, and more.
To purchase a sponsorship, donate to the auctions, or simply make a contribution, contact Willms at 360-919-0336 or willmsj@ssymca.net. Tickets to the Gala are $75 before September 1 and $90 after.
There’s a proverb which says ‘charity begins at home but shouldn’t end there.’ Just imagine the chaos if Batman, Superman, and even Ant Man ignored the cries for help. We can all do are part for children and families in our community, even if it’s just dressing up in our Spandex finest for a very good cause.
