A vital resource and source of support for women in Altona is holding a fundraising concert this month.
The Love Well Women’s Drop-In Center is hosting the event called Worship Around the World Saturday, March 21 from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Altona Pioneer Centre.
The theme is “Unity in our Comm-Unity” and it will feature a whole day of worship with seven groups from Altona and the surrounding area: Dennis and Phyllis Reimer, Promise and Tuesday, Ron and Coleen Giesbrecht, Noel Gonzales and friends, The Marten’s Brothers, Jayme Giesbrecht and the Zion Church Choir.
Love Well director Robyn Sierks noted they have a number of monthly donors, but community support including fundraising is vital to their operations.
“We are here as supports for women, and we have moms coming,” she said. “It’s a place for women to build friendships and relationships and to build supports.”
There are not necessarily a lot of options otherwise specifically for women, she suggested.
“And we have a lot of seniors who come too because a lot of them feel alone,” Sierks added. “We offer everything for free, so that’s why we do fundraising … a lot of times with seniors or single moms, they can’t afford to go out. We don’t want that to be reason they don’t come.”
Even though they are only open part-time, they average 250 women of all ages per month—a number that has been steadily increasing over the past year.
“It tells us there is a real need within our community,” said Sierks. “Women are really wanting friendships and relationships … people feel alone. People just want some place to connect where they are able to talk and express how they feel and feel connected.”
In addition to the day of worship, the March 21 fundraiser will also have a table with representatives from Wycliffe Bible Translators, Bibles from Give the Word, a canteen by Oma’s Kitchen, and baking by the Love Well ladies for dessert. There will also be a $500 custom music store birdhouse to be raffled off.
Love Well is non-profit organization dedicated to supporting, mentoring, and assisting women and girls of all social and economic backgrounds. The ministry is not affiliated with any churches as all of the women come from different denominations.
The directors and volunteers are women who have experienced many of life’s twists and turns, and they glean from each other’s experiences. The goal is for women to take care of all aspects of themselves—body, soul and spirit—and they want each woman to know that they are loved and valuable.
“It is so rewarding,” said Sierks. “Sometimes I feel I almost get more out of it than the women do because when you are serving these women you see how God is working in them … it’s amazing to see the friendships that develop here.”
