More than 100 of Jasper鈥檚 hottest ladies put on their fanciest dresses and highest heels and took a strut down the red carpet, April 26.
The event was the sixth annual Spring Fever Ladies Gala, organized by HIV West Yellowhead and the Cancer Action and Support Group. The two organizations have partnered together since the beginning, each year using the gala as a major fundraiser for their causes. To raise money, the organizations sell tickets and host a huge silent auction鈥攖his year, with more than $11,000 worth of prizes.
鈥淭he generousity of the community was incredible,鈥� said Laurie-Ann Reddick of the Cancer Action and Support Group. 鈥淲e appreciate all of the support鈥攊t helps us support the people that we support.鈥�
According to Andrea Watson, executive director of HIV West Yellowhead, it will be a couple of weeks before the organizations will know how much they raised, but she and the rest of the organizers are ecstatic about the turnout鈥攁 sold out crowd鈥攁nd the event as a whole.
鈥淲e had so much fun!
鈥淚鈥檓 still on a high from the event.鈥�
One of the highlights of the evening鈥攚hich was Hollywood-themed鈥攚as the awards ceremony, honouring some of the ladies in attendance. Gala-goers entered the names of the women they thought were the most deserving of the numerous distinctions鈥攈ighest heels, mountain woman, community spirit, best impersonator, and so on鈥攁nd from those ballots one name was randomly selected from each box.
Taking home the titles were: Cyndi Day for best laugh; Deb Joly鈥攁s Marilyn Monroe鈥攆or best impersonator; Jess Reed for highest heels; Tracy McKay for community spirit; Marla Pollock for best dressed; Dani Diddick for dress me up and take me out; Kirstti Baker for best comeback; Cristin Murphy for most inspirational; and Barb Schmidt for mountain woman.
鈥淭he awards were great,鈥� said Watson. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 think of more deserving women to win the awards they won.鈥�
Nicole Veerman
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