DOVE Center receives record number of gala sponsors
By Adele Pincock
DOVE Center is excited to recognize and thank the sponsors of its upcoming annual gala, “Stand Together ~ It’s Up to Us to End Domestic Violence.” The event will be held March 24. The gala is DOVE Center’s main community fundraising event of the year and helps the agency continue providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, victim advocacy, education, and counseling services at no cost to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
The headline sponsor for this year’s event is Carpets Plus. Owner Joe Gibbons has been a supporter of DOVE Center in years past but wanted to be involved on a different level this year to honor a former employee and beloved family friend, Kristy Manzanares, who lost her life to domestic violence last summer.
“In honor of Kristy, we wanted to lead this fundraising effort and hope it inspires others to step up and donate as well,” Gibbons said.
“Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Carpets Plus, donations from other sponsors can be directed to the programs and services that support our mission and help victims become survivors,” said Cindy Richardson, chair of this year’s gala committee. “It’s wonderful to see so many in our community stand with DOVE to help survivors and raise awareness to end abuse.”
Gold-level business sponsors for 2018 are Quality Development, Cache Valley Bank, Performance Diesel Inc., and Bay Equity Home Loans, joined by individuals George and Marti Graff.
Lori and Ed Burgess of Quality Development have supported DOVE Center and the gala for many years. Lori currently serves as a DOVE Trustee, and one of their companies led last year’s gala as headline sponsor. John Jones and Kenny Miller of Cache Valley Bank are past sponsors who increased their support this year to be a gold sponsor. Jared and Heather Wittwer of Performance Diesel Inc. have been gold sponsors two years running, and DOVE welcomes Ben Zitting of Bay Equity Home Loans as a new gold business sponsor this year. George and Marti Graff are area residents, loyal DOVE supporters, and first-time gala sponsors this year.
At the silver sponsorship level, DOVE thanks businesses Eagle Gate Title and Swenson and Shelley Law: Personal Injury Attorneys along with individuals Sharon Hoiekvam, Pat Shoemaker-Glessner, and Margie Huber.
“Sharon, Pat, and Margie are each long-time supporters of DOVE,” said Laney Larson, DOVE’s director of development. “Sharon is a current trustee and member of the executive committee. Pat is a former trustee and one of DOVE’s founding mothers, and Margie, also a former trustee, still actively volunteers for us.”
Leslie and Macrae Heppler of Eagle Gate Title, a sponsor of the 2017 gala, increased their level of support this year to become a silver sponsor, and DOVE acknowledges new supporters Brian Shelley and Kevin Swenson of Swenson and Shelley Law: Personal Injury Attorneys. Over a dozen other businesses and individuals have provided bronze level support for the event.
“More local businesses and individuals than ever before have stepped forward to sponsor our gala this year,” commented Larson. “It’s pretty amazing to have this level of support from our community. And because so many have stepped up with sponsorship support, we are better able to directly assist survivors. These partnerships literally make it possible to provide life-changing resources to local victims of abuse, which ultimately increases the health of our entire community. It’s exciting to see so many rally around this cause!”
The gala is in its fifth year and has gone through a bit of evolution over the years.
“What started as a small, informal luncheon has grown into a well-known, well-attended event that the community looks forward to each year,” said Lindsey Boyer, DOVE Center’s executive director. “We are in awe at the number of sponsors this year and continually grateful to our guests as well, who show up to support us year after year. This generous community makes it possible for DOVE to deliver critical services to survivors of abuse.”
The event begins at 5 p.m. with a social hour that will include live jazz, champagne, hors d’oeuvres, and a silent auction. A catered sit-down dinner and program will follow. This year’s program features Victor Rivas Rivers, an accomplished actor, author, and anti-violence activist who is also a survivor of childhood abuse. Rivers is one of the nation’s leading male voices speaking out against domestic violence and engaging others to work towards solutions that will bring an end to family violence once and for all.
The Board of Trustees gratefully acknowledges each gala sponsor for their generous support and for finding value in the mission of DOVE Center to increase safety and promote healing from trauma for abuse survivors in our local community.
For emergency shelter and other questions about domestic violence or sexual assault, please call DOVE’s 24-hour helpline at (435) 628-0458. To make a donation, visit dovecenter.org.
Adele Pincock is the community engagement director for DOVE Center.
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