Celebrating an Unforgettable Evening

October 8, 2026

On Friday, October 2, we gathered for our 14th Evening of Dreams Gala at Evario Events Centre, and from the moment people began to arrive, it felt like a special kind of reunion. For many Adeara supporters, this is the one time each year where we get to connect in person and celebrate the lives being impacted at Adeara.

Witnessing the strong community that showed up to stand behind women in recovery was incredibly meaningful. There was an excitement to engage in the fundraising efforts throughout the night—the two balloon pop raffles, creating your own bud vase, fulfilling a need at the centre through our needs list board, and shopping our new clothing merch. 

 

From the start of the night to the last thank you, there was a consistent message woven throughout each person’s remarks that unified the entire evening. Recovery cannot be measured by one single moment but is rather sustained through continuous moments of support. This community is a part of that support for women who find themselves overwhelmed by addiction. This gala continues to be a tangible reminder that no woman needs to rebuild her life alone.

As a result of your generosity, you raised an astounding $323,963.42! Thank you for investing in long-term support for women in recovery and helping ensure that they have access to support through every stage of recovery. 

Key Highlights

  • We are incredibly grateful to the three generous donors who made an extraordinary matching opportunity possible. The evening began with $35,000 in matching funds from two anonymous donors, followed by an additional $20,000 match offered by a third donor, bringing the total to $55,000. Their generosity gave our guests an incredible opportunity to double the impact of their gifts and further support women and children in recovery.
  • Tiffany Sawatzky, our emcee, brought a warm and bright presence to the night! As a faithful supporter, Tiffany believes in the unique impact Adeara is having in our community and we were honoured she was our guide for the evening.
  • Live music from Katherine Alvarado, Santiago Dimangondayao, Hudson Andrews, and Nick Wiebe filled the room and set the tone for a fun, lively, and uplifting atmosphere.
  • Minister Rick Wilson, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, brought awareness to the state of addiction in our province and its widespread effect on all communities. Despite the heavy reality of addiction, he sparked hope that recovery is possible, and he sees it happening through programs like Adeara.
  • Lana Demchuk, our Recovery Support Lead, and Brittney Hrushowy, a previous Adeara client, shared a conversation about the need for ongoing support for women in recovery. Brittney bravely shared how addiction impacted her from a young age and how Adeara changed the trajectory of her family’s life.
  • Lori Patrick, our Executive Director, shared about the growth Adeara has experienced through our new Recovery Support Program and thrift store, More Than a Fad. She announced that steps are being taken to allow for greater growth and impact. Sign up to receive our newsletter to keep up to date on what’s next for Adeara.
  • There were several exciting ways to support Adeara throughout the night:
    • Two Balloon Pop Raffles with two incredible destination prizes to Mexico and Canmore! Plus, over 100 additional gift cards for guests to win amongst 150 balloons. 
    • An interactive flower station! Guests visited our floral station and hand-picked stems and a small vase to create their own bud vase arrangements.
    • Adeara’s exclusive clothing merchandise. Beautifully designed crewneck sweaters, t-shirts, hats, and tote bags were available for purchase, giving people a way to carry and share the message of Adeara. Recovery Coffee from Wall Coffee Roasters was also available for guests to purchase.  

Special Thanks

We want to extend a massive thank you to everyone who attended, donated, supported us through prayer, and made our 14th Evening of Dreams a night to remember! As a team, we were encouraged by the strong community of support Adeara has. We would also like to give a special thanks to:

  • Juli, Lorajoy, Julie, Kendra, Daysha and Keara for putting hours of work into the vision, design, planning and execution of this event.  
  • Our incredible staff who represented Adeara that night: Loudell, Regan, Tracy, Sara, Gaby, Natasha, Lana and Karen.
  • Our dedicated 30 volunteers from JDC West at the U of A, who made this night run smoothly!
  • O + A Decor, for donating the beautiful décor, 360 booth, and photo booth, and for blowing up all 150 balloons for the balloon pop raffles. Messer Canada for donating helium to the Balloon Pop. We are so grateful for your generosity and support!
  • The anonymous donor of the two balloon pop destination prizes. Thank you for giving so generously!
  • Sorrentino’s for partnering with a generous anonymous donor in providing gift cards for the balloon pop raffles.
  • Laura Pothoven who painted live during the evening and generously donated her artwork to our centre.
  • Anthem Creative for their incredible work in capturing the stories and a glimpse into the recovery centre shown on video.

Thank you to our sponsors who generously made this event possible:

Title Sponsor
Diamond Sponsors
Gold Sponsors

Our exceptional vendors:

It’s Not Too Late to Give!  

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Give a one-time gift and help stop the cycle of addiction not only for one woman but for her children and their future children.

 

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I am not the perfect parent, and I never will be. But today I am present. I am living in recovery and choosing every day to learn how to love and care for my children in a new and healthier way.

Past Client