Charity bowling event set for Chinook child centre

By Ry Clarke - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on August 30, 2022.

Galaxy Bowling and Pizza will be hosting a bowling fundraiser supporting the renovations of the Chinook Child and Youth Centre here in Lethbridge.

On Sept. 10 participants can drop in to Galaxy Bowling between 2 – 6 p.m. for a game of cosmic blacklight bowling, food and drink, with a silent auction raising funds through community donations.

Tickets can be purchased through Scotiabank at two locations, 3730 Mayor Magrath Drive South, and 550 University Drive West. They will be matching 100 per cent of the ticket sales up to $3,000.

“100 per cent of the donations for the event come back to the child advocacy centre,” said Cheryl Patterson, manager of the Chinook Child and Youth Advocacy Centre. “CCYAC is a community response to child abuse within southwestern Alberta. We work together with multidisciplinary teams, including law enforcement, children’s services, mental health providers, and we provide wraparound support for kids and their families who have experienced abuse through the disclosure, investigation, judicial and healing process.”

“The Chinook Sexual Assault Centre is our overarching organization, with CCYAC as a specialized program within their organization. CSAC deals specifically with individuals of any age who have experienced sexual abuse, either historical or current, while CCYAC supports kids who have experienced sexual abuse, but also severe physical abuse and neglect,” said Patterson.

The fundraiser is important for CCYAC to help bring a new space to kids who are dealing with these traumas while also offering healing and resources.

“Right now, we are in a temporary location within the provincial building, down the hall from the sexual assault centre. Right now, we are raising funds for the renovations of our new space that is in the same building, but on the ground level. Its 3,000 square feet that we need renovated to include specialized areas. Such as sound proofing and recording equipment for the child forensic room, and the therapeutic counseling rooms. Once the centre is built, we will act as a neutral, child-friendly environment. Kids will come and meet with police for forensic interviews. They will get to interview them out of uniform, so they don’t have their guns, and it becomes a far less intimidating process for the kids. They will receive trauma support from our centre, and we will support the families navigating the system. Giving them other community supports that may be relevant to their needs, connecting them with those resources. Also, we offer court preparation for kids and court accompaniment if the file leads to criminal charges through the process.”

Patterson notes they are one of eight child advocacy centres in Alberta, one of 30 in Canada, and across the province centres have seen an increase of referrals of 15 to 20 per cent every year since 2019.

Galaxy Bowling’s fundraiser will help make a space for children suffering from all forms of abuse, giving them a safe space to begin the steps of recovering with a sense of security.