(Seguin) — A major party this week will celebrate the more than four decades of work that’s been done by the Guadalupe Valley Family Violence Shelter (GVFVS). The non-profit group will host its Purple Tie Gala on Thursday at the Soel Venue in downtown Seguin.
GVFVS Board Chair Erica Kiser says the gala will be a night of fun for a very good cause. She says a few tickets still remain for the event.
“There’s going to be a live auction and a silent auction. Of course, we’re going to have tons of entertainment and dinner. There will be minimal talking, we promise. We just want…(to provide a) little bit of information, that we want to hand out. But we’re going to keep the talking to a minimum because this really is a celebration of our time here, and that we can celebrate all of our thrivers that have come along with us for the ride. And you know, we just want to share with the community. You don’t have to be a part of our organization or a donor in any way. If you just want to have a night out, come and see what we’re doing and see what we’re up to. We would love to have you,” said Kiser.
GVFVS Executive Director Delilah Reyes says it will be a fun night, but it also provides a chance to shine a spotlight on the need for the community to do more to take a stand against domestic violence.
“We’re going to be able to do some networking and mingling, and just hanging out and celebrating that we’ve been in this movement for as long as we’ve been. And bringing that awareness out there, because it is a heavy top topic, But you know, bringing the awareness is a positive thing, because it allows people to shamelessly discuss these topics, and not feel that it’s theirs to carry alone. I think that’s the positive side of it, right? So come out, enjoy some drinks with us, and Burnt Bean is catering. If you haven’t had a chance to try Burnt Bean, this will be your opportunity,” said Reyes.
The organization started a shelter for battered women in 1983. Since that time, it has grown into something much more. Reyes says their organization does a lot more than just provide shelter for families facing abusive situations at home. She says that’s one of the reasons why they will be making some big announcements during Thursday night’s gala.
“Our doors have been open for 40 years as of this year. So, we wanted to be able to celebrate that. We also know that we have a lot of really good things in the works. We’ve been in this shelter for almost 40 years…so we are planning on launching a capital campaign. Part of that is doing some of the footwork that we’ve been in the works of, and creating this event is one of those things. So that we can do this again next year, and this becomes our annual fundraiser to be able to support making this build happen. At this event, we will also be announcing our rebrand. We are changing our name. We will still be servicing the same people in the same area. A lot of people think that we only service Guadalupe County, and you know, since we do service Karnes, Wilson, and Gonzales (counties), we want to make sure that we have that umbrella,” said Reyes.
The need for a new shelter is long overdue, and the eventual capital campaign will help them get there. But Reyes says they also want to be able to share details about all of the other work that they do with families and individuals in need across this area.
“We aren’t just a shelter. That’s only about 10 percent of the services that we provide. So, 90 percent of the services that we provide are non-residential. Those people never stay a night in the shelter. They come in and they use our advocates, they use our legal aid services, they use our counseling, they use our safety planning, the court advocates that go and with them during court and they just kind of hold their hand, and the sexual assault SANE exams. The wonderful ladies that we have on our team that go out and provide that support during such a horrible time in someone’s life. And they go out there and they do that work with a lot of those victims, who don’t ever come into shelter. We go out there and we provide those services outside of the shelter. And a lot of times, with our name, it doesn’t encompass all that we do,” said Reyes.
Kiser and Reyes say the work they do is challenging, but they hope that people will come out to the Purple Tie Gala just to have a good time. They say a number of ticket options are still available.
“It is $75 a ticket or $500 for tables. We still have some sponsorships available so you can go to our Facebook page and there’s a link on there that has all of the sponsorship packages and options to be able to purchase — individual tickets as well,” said Reyes.
Again, tickets can be purchased by visiting the Guadalupe Valley Family Violence Shelter’s Facebook page. A link can also be found on our website, seguintoday.com. The Purple Tie Gala begins at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Soel Venue, located at 112 W. Donegan St.