Gala puts spotlight on work of Woods Homes

By Lethbridge Herald on September 23, 2023.

Steffanie Costigan
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

Community members voiced the importance of supporting Wood’s Homes  at its  annual gala last weekend at the Coast Hotel.

This year’s theme was “Diamonds are Forever.”

At the Wood’s Homes gala, a film about the service Wood’s Homes offers was shared titled “A Journey Through the Woods” to which audience gave a standing ovation. 

Nick Bohle,owner of HatChap Productions, directed “A Journey Through the Woods” and he shared his passion in creating this film f and the family connection he discovered he has with Woods Homes. 

“I guess going way back my great auntie was actually a part of Woods Homes back in the ‘90s. I didn’t learn that until I started working with Woods and met Carrie and told my family about it. And then they told me. One thing that definitely inspired me to put my heart into it was that family connection that is already in existence,” said Bohle. 

Guest speaker at the Wood’s Homes gala Trina Tymko ,expressed her personal experience with Wood’s Homes along with her son’s battle with mental health, addiction and the help her son has found at Wood’s Homes. She talked about the resources Wood’s Homes has offered her son and the understanding they have for youth struggling with mental health. 

“They’re helping him get supports through the Alberta government for housing, which is like jumping through hoops, but they know the hoops to jump through, even making sure just that he’s okay to sitting down with him and talking to him and not judging him for where he’s at. 

“They understand addictions, they understand mental health. And it’s just that place where literally, he’s just, he feels safe to go to and to contact them to ask for help,” shared Tymko.

Cornerstone Funeral Home business manager and co-owner Travis Zentner talked about the support Wood’s Homes offers for vulnerable kids and their families.

“They meet them where they’re at, they welcome them.” 

Bohle said he feels the film “A Journey Through the Woods” will educate people on what Wood’s Homes does to assist youth.

“I think it’s going to help because it’s not just a piece that can be shown at the gallery.

“It’s something that can be shown in schools to different people. It’s something that can go online and provide insight to others who don’t know what Woods homes does.”

Tymko voiced the awareness the Wood’s Homes gala is bringing to the community about at-risk youth.

 “It’s about awareness, awareness about what what’s homes is the services. They provide the money that they need in order to help the at-risk youth in our communities.”

Zentner said  Wood’s Homes is vital for the community.

“Everything is just made to fit the kid, made to fit the family. And we’ve found that because of the incredible amount of evolving services that are required for at risk youth mixed with a coming just out of a pandemic and a mental health epidemic. It is an absolutely vital organization that needs to be supported.”

Donations to Woods Homes can be made through their website at https://www.woodshomes.ca/about-us/?form=donate. 

Bohle noted how important it is  to support Wood’s Homes. 

“Lethbridge isn’t huge, and to have an organization with eight beds at the shelter, but they also have these incredible programs that are helping kids find their way out of some of the darkest times in their lives and I think that’s incredibly important in any community.”

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