2.6 C
Niagara Falls
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Purple Ribbon Gala aims to end stigma of epilepsy

 

Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Carson Tucker says he is planning the Purple Ribbon Gala in January to raise money and awareness for “severely underfunded” Epilepsy Canada.

Tickets for the black tie affair are already on sale online at https://www.epilepsy.ca/black-tie–purple-ribbon-gala.html for the Jan. 11, 2020, gala which will be held at the Old Court House on Queen Street in Old Town from 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Tucker is a volunteer firefighter well-known locally for driving Sentineal Carriages with his dog Stella. He said he decided to host the fundraiser after someone he knows had a seizure.

“I have someone close to me who has epilepsy. There’s a pretty big stigma with epilepsy – I’m just raising awareness,” he said.

“A lot of people hide it. A lot of people think they need to hide it,” Tucker said, which is one of the reasons he said he’s holding the event. “A lot of people don’t like talking about it.”

Though once he began organizing the gala, he said he was surprised by how many people shared their personal stories of relatives and friends living with epilepsy.

“I just jumped down the rabbit hole researching. It’s a really common problem,” Tucker added.

The gala will feature a cocktail hour, live music by X-Prime, and Matt Anthony performing magic. Tickets start at $60 and include hors d'oeuvres, with a cash bar.

Sponsorship ticket options are also available online from $250 to $2,500.

 

Subscribe to our mailing list