A gala dinner is taking place at the Dresden Christian Reformed Church this month in support of Syrian refugee sponsorship in the community.
Joe Grootenboer, one of the organizers, told the Sydenham Current the event will be held Saturday, May 13 at the Mooney Street church in Dresden.
“We are serving five courses of very good quality local food prepared by a chef,” Grootenboer said.
“We intend to put on a truly elegant and unforgettable evening. We have live music from several musicians performing some instrumental and some singing to go with the evening.”
The dress code is cocktail and the doors open at 6 p.m., with the dinner being served at 6:30 p.m.
“More importantly we want to let people know what is going on in Dresden for refugee sponsorship,” Grootenboer said.
“Especially the sponsorship that we have undertaken. We want to include them in possible future things. Let them know what there is, whether they are people thinking of getting into it themselves or looking for a way that they can help or work together. So we will share a lot of what we are doing and of course, it is a fundraiser too. In describing what we are up to, people will understand what the needs are for a project such as this.”
The Dresden Christian Reformed Church was recently recognized, along with other sponsorship agreement holders from across the community, by Chatham-Kent council during a Feature Act Recognition presentation.
A refugee family from Syria has called Dresden home since last spring.
The family of four – mother, father and two boys ages nine and 15 – fled Aleppo sometime in 2015.
The area where they lived was being heavily bombed and war was coming directly into their neighbourhood.
They fled to Lebanon and remained there, before coming to Dresden.
Grootenboer said their group is excited to continue fundraising for these sponsorship efforts.
“In general we’ve heard there is interest from people and from different groups,” he said.
“We have shared a lot of what is going on but an evening like this, we can bring everyone together.”
Grootenboer said some of the funds raised will go towards the family already living in Dresden, although they are adapting well and starting to become self-sufficient living here in Canada.
He added that the group is eyeing the sponsorship of a second family to bring into the community.
“Our commitment is for a year and we have to raise funds to further that,” he said.
“Refugee sponsorship in Canada is unique in that regular citizens by forming groups, or in our case we are part of a church group, can participate actually directly. They can invite and sponsor people… that is a stream that works along side with the government settlement. In that sense, we as citizens have a chance to save people.”
Grootenboer added: “So why do it? Why take that opportunity? Because theses are human beings that are suffering. They suffered in this case due to the war in Syria. Other cases it is through persecution. They are identified and vetted as people being in trouble. Serious trouble. No home, in danger, stuck outside of their country in a country that really is not making a place for them.”
Grootenboer said it’s a chance to take individuals or families “one-by-one and give them the new start in Canada that so many people around the world want.
“It is about saving lives and providing a future for families and it is just a wonderful thing to do. In our case it’s an expression of our faith and of our love for other humans. So why do it? Because we can. It is a wonderful and exciting thing to be involved in.”
For tickets to the gala dinner, contact Grootenboer at 226-881-1053 or e-mail thisisjoseph@hotmail.com.
– Photo credit: Municipality of Chatham-Kent
