Photoessay #166 - Party tonight

Our parent group is having a fundraiser party tonight. I invited two other couples to go, I hope it comes out well, I think it will. The parent group that I'm involved with, Changes Parent Support Network is a volunteer lay-led support group for parents of acting out adolescents and young adults. The really difficult acts including violence, drug use, mental health issues, running away, school failure, physical and verbal abuse, etc etc. It's been very helpful to me and very rewarding for me to participate in and 'give back'. Many people will help you, all we ask is that you help somebody else. You will likely find that helping somebody else will benefit you a lot. We don't charge any money, we pass around a little box each week to pay the rent on the room, buy the coffee, etc. But there are expenses and some modest paid staff. So you have to do SOME fundraising for operating funds. There was an auction but this year, we are just having a party, some people in the group are going to play music, others have made refreshments. There will be a small auction, but we hope to make a few thousand dollars on the gate and call it good. It's going to be held at one parent's dad's 'mansion'. I think it really is a mansion, check out the picture in a very stylish older neighborhood. Sounds funny to say, 'we're having it at Scott's Dad's mansion' ....

Little nervewracking to ask other people to attend a fundraiser but these two couples have witnessed all of the good that this group has done and I think they don't mind attending. I volunteered to work the front table for part of the time and Dennis will help with the shuttle to the parking area.

Very nice people and the band should be fun...