Mike Shaw submitted photo

By Kevin Rothwell

Inaugural event sells out

Compassionate Friends Gala raises $5,000

Jun 23, 2022 | 5:00 AM

The Compassionate Friends of Canada Vernon Chapter Gala held at Wings Restaurant on Tuesday night had a capacity crowd on hand to listen to some top speakers about grief.

The Compassionate Friends offers support in the grief and trauma which follows the death of a child; no matter the age or cause. It is a national organization with numerous chapters in B.C. including Vernon.

The fundraiser featured talks by Reen Rose and Dr. Stan Eaman – with the keynote presentation by author and Tedx presenter Mike Shaw.

“All too often what may seem like a pleasurable experience and what may initially seem like happiness, when pursued, changes at a certain point into suffering and leads to frustration and so on. This is just part of life,” Dr. Eaman told the audience.

Shaw a freestyle skier and coach broke his neck in 2013 in Colorado, and against the odds was able to recover and ski again to the astonishment of the medical community. He is active in fundraising for spinal cord injury research. In 2019 Shaw authored “Never Part of the Plan” about his injury and incredible comeback.

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“We need to focus not only on the gaps caused by suffering, but also the many gifts that exist in our lives.” Shaw said.

The sold-out crowd enjoyed a gala buffet, champagne, a balloon prize pop, and a large list of silent auction items donated by businesses and individuals from Vernon and surrounding communities.

The main corporate sponsors were: Wings Vernon, Highland Contact, Industrial Alliance Wealth, Pathfinder Asset Management, National Bank Financial, Timberstar, and The Emily Dahl Foundation.

The funds will be used for a retreat for parents and family members dealing with the loss of a child.

For more information on the Compassionate Friends of Canada click here.