Unmasking The Myths
With
Charles & Brianne Roberge
Unmasking the myths. It sounds like a phrase that you hear often. One of those old sayings, perhaps. Taking the facade away and revealing what is underneath. This story is just that and more. Brianne Roberge is a childhood sexual abuse survivor and she has a story to tell. You are probably wondering why an arts and culture based e-mag is talking about childhood sexual abuse. The Unmasking The Myths we are talking about is a fundraising event for Little Warriors, founded by Glori Meldrum. The event is a mega gala the type that is usually seen in New York or Los Angeles. The difference is this one take place in Edmonton. Before we get the event, here is a bit about how it came to be.
The discussion on childhood abuse is essentially non-existent in the world of issues we talk about daily. Brianne Roberge wanted, as a survivor, to do something that would help bring it to the forefront. The statistics say that in Canada, based only on reported cases, one in three girls and one in four boys will be sexually abused by the time they are eighteen. Charles says, next time you get together with friends, look around the table. If there are 7 of you in the room, statistically two would have been abused. That’s not to say they have, it’s just an easier way to look at the stats.
As Brianne was “healing” she decided she wanted to help others. The original idea was to start an organization. An organization like this already existed in Little Warriors. The focus then became how to support Little Warriors. The idea of a gala dinner, high end, that would not only raise funds but the equally important awareness of the issue. That became the Unmasking The Myths Masquerade Gala. The planning on an event like this take a lot of time. Before the Roberge’s get there, they hold smaller events on the way to their now annual fall gathering. They hold a BBQ in Spruce Grove, the kind that set up outside a supermarket. They hold a night out at a local restaurant that includes door prizes and raffles. The hold a radiothon in conjunction with the local radio station, 88.1 The One. This year they are holding a camp out and beersbee tournament. Then there is the gala.
The gala is in it’s fourth year. It has grown over that short period of time starting out as a family and friends event at the Oasis Center in west Edmonton. It cost about twenty five thousand dollars to send one child through the Little Warriors program at the Be Brave Ranch, so growth was important. There was a move to the Shaw Conference Center for the next two years. The attendance went up, the ticket prices went up and last year, between all events, enough was raised to send a child through the program. The idea now is to maintain and even grow the gala. The gala. Let’s talk about the gala.
- Jazz Matthews