For the Love of a Child

In February, Family Advocates held our first annual For the Love of a Child Gala. This beautiful event at Chateau des Fleurs in Eagle, Idaho was a night to remember! Picture colors of dusty rose, soft pink, ivory, sage green and gold with shimmering crystal adorned-chandeliers crowning it all.

As guests arrived and checked in, we were pleased to see them in shades of red and pink, paying homage to Valentine’s Day and the love we have for children in our community. Our beautiful guests added to the beauty of the evening.

Guests were greeted with a glass of champagne as they perused the silent auction item tables while live music in the form of classic Jazz from Frim Fram 4 filled the air. It wasn’t long before they were introduced to our MC and auctioneer for the evening, Zack Krone, who kept the event light and entertaining throughout the night. Dinner and Live Auction were next in the ball room and the paddles began to raise! Guests enthusiastically bid and battled for a selection of adventures generously donated by passionate partners of our mission to keep kids safe.

Special guest speaker, Amanda Bowman, stood before over 200 guests and shared her story. Her really hard story. Her experience with a CASA Advocate changed her life and influenced her outlook on life. In the midst of what could have been a life-halting situation, one person made a difference in the life of a child. As she exited the stage amidst a standing ovation and tears, you couldn’t help but feel the energy in the room of admiration for her strength and for that volunteer that stood by a child who needed them most.

The auctioneer once again took the stage. But this time it wasn’t for a trip, a basket of goodies, a ball game, or a bottle of wine. This was to simply give to make a difference in the life of a child…and WOW! Did our guests ever show up!! Paddle after paddle went into the air that night. Raising funds to impact the children in our community… to the tune of over $150,000!

We are so grateful for our sponsors: Albertsons, Citi, City Kid Boutique, Givens Pursley, BRJ Distributing, HP, Fifty Flowers, Idaho News 6, Syringa Networks, and Whole Foods Market. These sponsors insured that all funds raised that evening went right into the programs serving the children and families in our community. We are grateful for our volunteers that evening who came out and worked so hard so our guests could enjoy the evening. We are grateful to all of the Gala Committee members who organized, recruited, designed, asked, and coordinated to make this thing happen in LESS THAN 6 MONTHS!

If you were not able to attend the event, you should mark your calendar to attend next year! Feb 9, 2024 we will once again fill the halls of Chateau des Fleurs. Next year will be the opportunity to show this wasn’t a fluke. We are taking steps every day to strengthen families and keep kids safe. Moving through this year, our theme is Footsteps to the Future and we hope you will join us. With your support, we will continue to make a difference in the lives of our communities’ children… one child and one step at a time.