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Chocolate sweetens future for Family Place

Attendees able to sample creations and purchase art
Chocolate sweetens future for Family Place

Cookies, cakes, confections and more will be available at Powell River’s own Chocolate Festival and Art Show, Monday, February 14.

Family Place, the free drop-in centre for families with young children, located at Town Centre Mall, will benefit from proceeds of the event. Amy Heather, a local mom with two young children, decided to create the event so that funds could be raised to keep programs running.

“We have used Family Place a lot with our young family,” said Heather, who is volunteering her time to put the festival together. “It is just a nice place to be. There was some talk they had lost a big chunk of funding so I wanted to help. This is my way of paying them back for what we have been receiving.”

Heather has joined forces with artist Ursula Medley to bring paintings, fabric art, sculpture, wood art and locally made soap into the festival. Medley has pulled more than 20 artists together whose work will be for sale with donations benefitting Family Place.

“Ursula happened to be around when I started talking about creating the festival, and when she is inspired about something she takes it on and runs with it. She is truly amazing.”

Artists wishing to participate can contact Medley at 604.487.4579 or ursulamedley@shaw.ca.

Regarding chocolate, creations will be judged in various categories—cookies, cakes and bars, mousses, confections, drinks, organic/fair trade, gluten and wheat free, other and professional.

“We are looking for people from the community, who are so passionate about chocolate and have a great recipe to share, to compete in the festival. Everyone who attends the event can try the chocolate dishes entered into the festival. There is a people’s choice award and also a panel of judges made up of Family Place staff.”

Anybody interested in submitting an item for one of the categories is asked to email prchocolate@shaw.ca or call 604.485.2706 for more details. Registrations must be received by January 31.

“Because chocolate can get expensive, we are limiting the number of tickets to 50,” said Heather. She added that Melissa Call from Sunshine Organics has offered to supply fair trade, organic and regular chocolate at cost for people entering into the festival. Once registered, people can purchase the chocolate from Call.

The festival is timed for Valentine’s Day. It runs for just two hours, from 8 to 10 pm, and will be held in the Rainbow Room, Rodmay Hotel. Live music, chocolate auction, cash bar and door prizes will keep participants entertained. “This is something fun for everyone to do on Valentine’s Day. You don’t have to have a partner in order to come along and enjoy the festival. People entering a dish will get one ticket into the festival for free. We are looking for businesses to donate prizes, and if they do they also get one ticket free.”

Who will be the best chocolatier in town? That remains to be seen, creations need to be tried, and votes counted. Tickets are $25 each, available at Family Place.