New foundation looks to empower local non-profits

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It’s seems there’s no limits to their philanthropic ways.

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Having saddled up for a number of years as participants and as event organizers in the Minds Over Mountain bike tour in support of CASA Mental Health, Chad Stewart, owner of local salon Concrete Blonde, and Shane Kyle, owner of JDK Group are looking to do even more to help uplift women and children in Strathcona County.

This month, the pair announced they’re starting a new venture; The Power of E Foundation. Focused on embracing, empowering, and elevating women and children affected by abuse, mental health challenges, and social inequalities, the organization will support non-profits through fundraising, advocacy and community-driven initiatives.

“Supporting children’s mental health has been phenomenal, but it was time for us to start a new journey and for us to support more charities and we wanted to support charities in our own community who can really use some help,” Stewart said.

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Each year, the Foundation of E will select one charity of choice to support and it will host three signature fundraising events — a holiday shopping evening, the 24-hour Tour de Concrete Blonde bikeathon in April, and the new Pedal for Purpose (a 900-kilometre bike tour from Vancouver to Sherwood Park in June). For the coming year, the Foundation of E has selected A Safe Place to support.

Stewart and Kyle recently toured the local women’s shelter and were moved by their clients’ stories. Once A Safe Place’s executive director Karen Kadatz told them that they get a say in how their donations are used, that sealed the deal for the foundation.

“I’ve been in Sherwood Park for 26 years and I’ve always known about A Safe Place, but I didn’t know the details about it until recently, so it’s pretty special to be helping them,” Stewart said. “A Safe Place is helping make a difference in the lives of those women and children, and we’re still about to support mental health as they go through so much trauma. I just can’t imagine what they go through.”

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This weekend, the organization will host is inaugural fundraising evening, a Jingle and Mingle shopping extravaganza. Set to take place between 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Kurylo Residence, Stoneshire Manor (23129 Wye Road), guests are invited to come in elegant holiday attire, enjoy a 27-foot charcuterie board, bid on some live auction items, and the shop the night away. VIP admission is $50 each, which provides earlier 5 p.m. admission, and general admissions $25.

“It’s going to be a beautiful evening and all proceeds will be going to A Safe Place,” Stewart said.

For more information, go to poefoundation.ca.

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X: LindsayDMorey

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