Terra relies on volunteers, financial and in-kind donations to offer services and support our teen parents.
At Terra, our specialized team tailors programs and services to meet the needs of each teen parent. Always safe, never judgemental. Learn more about what we have to offer our young families.
Terra had the pleasure of hosting our 4th annual Laughs Over Lunch (LOL) this past June 8. This one-hour fundraiser was filled with giggles, camaraderie, and inspiration. We are deeply grateful to all our old friends who were able to attend and all our new friends who chose LOL to get to know us and some of the families we impact.
At the contemporary downtown JW Marriott | Ice District, local funny person, Caroline Stokes took us on a musical journey as she spoofed her way through hit songs. We also enjoyed the impromptu antics of our emcee, Kent Morrison of CTV Morning Live.
LOL was also an opportunity to talk more about the programs that impact the families we serve. We shared our renovation plans and how we are trying to grow our services to ensure teen parent families have the resources they need to build strong futures for themselves and their children. We were grateful to raise $63,000 towards our goal through sponsorship and donations.
From one couple who attended we heard that LOL fostered a sense of connection to our participants, and it was nice to share a laugh.
Youth Leaders At the heart of LOL were our participants. Our Youth Leadership team were on hand to register guests and direct them to their seats. To start the program, the extremely talented Madden, performed her original song, Daddy Knew Best, and Shandoa shared her Cree language with us for the blessing. Members of the Youth Leadership team introduced themselves and their children, who’s on stage presence added many smiles to the crowd.
Impact Speaker Terra participant and recent Braemar graduate and co-valedictorian, Cora, shared her heartbreaking and uplifting journey with guests. She shared how Terra played a vital role in changing her life and ensuring that her children’s lives would have the safety and stability that she sorely needed during her childhood.
VIP Reception Our VIP reception attendees were treated to sensational harpist, Keri Zwicker. We were joined by RBC, Love Pizza, and beader and artisan jewelry maker, Maddy Shea to talk about their connection to Terra and a service area they support. Guest speaker Mike Saunders from Qualico Properties shared a little about Qualico’s work with community agencies and the duty of businesses to bring value to communities through giving and volunteering.
We know that Terra participants left LOL feeling a deeper sense of community and were proud to be a part of this event. We also know that many of our LOL guests left the event with a deeper understanding of just how much work these young parents put into the success of their families and how many challenges they overcome each day. We are grateful to have had this chance to bring these worlds together and look forward to future events that grow understanding and support for teen parents and their children.
We would like to thank our 2023 Laughs Over Lunch Sponsors