After three years of the cancellation of a favourite event, Ashlee Dagenais was so determined to get tickets for this year’s Red Roof Retreat pasta dinner that she set an alarm on her phone.
“I have been going to the pasta dinner since I moved here,” said Dagenais, a client who has been attending recreational programming and respite at Red Roof Retreat for the past several years.
The annual pasta dinner, a major fundraiser for Red Roof Retreat, has been cancelled for the past few years due to COVID.
Executive director and founder, Steffanie Bjorgan, said that Red Roof Retreat “is a Niagara-on-the-Lake non-profit that has been operating since 2000. We provide respite and recreational services for children and young adults with special needs. Our most important program is respite which offers weekend overnight stays to give caregivers a break.”
Scott Botbyl has been using their services for more than 10 years for son Devon. “Respite is an important thing for us. It gives people like Devon another opportunity to get out and be with other kids and it gives our family an opportunity to spend more time together.”
“Having an avenue like this just really helps keep other relationships with your family, your spouse and your children, important as well,” he said.
While tickets for the dinner, held at John Michael's Banquet Centre April 30, sold out in two weeks, there is still a need for financial support. “Times have changed, and Red Roof will incur more costs than usual, said Bjorgan. “Many businesses that supported us in the past aren't around anymore, or in the same position they were four years ago.”
Bjorgan is looking for new donors to support the children’s raffle table and silent auction with prizes. Larger prizes are needed for the live auction. Sponsorships for the event are also welcome, with donor logos prominently displayed at the event and in social media.
“We use funds from this event to keep all of our programs, especially respite, affordable to families,” said Bjorgan, who adds that “this year’s dinner is client-centred. We will highlight our clients with personal portfolios hanging around the hall, and clients are creating the centre pieces.”
Cathy van der Zalm is a community member who “appreciates the need for support for families who have children with disabilities. We have attended every pasta dinner and the children look forward to it,” she said. “We have a third generation attending now.”
Dagenais is looking forward to the food. “They make a special pasta for me because of my food allergies.” She is also excited “to meet up with the people I don’t get to see except at pasta dinner.” When asked about the raffles, Dagenais was passionate. “Oh that’s my favourite. I started saving for raffle tickets the beginning of September in hopes that the pasta dinner would come this year.”
Botbyl notes that “there is not a lot out there for children with special needs, and we are so fortunate to have this in our community. Our community is special.”
For more information about Red Roof Retreat, visit redroofretreat.com. To donate or sponsor the pasta dinner, which raised $90,000 in 2019, contact [email protected].