RECLAIM’s Celebrate the Love brunch gala event will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The event will celebrate 15 years of its mission to increase access to mental health care for queer and trans youth, as well as the organization’s future. Celebrate the Love will take place at the McNamara Alumni Center, located at 200 SE Oak Street in Minneapolis, and will feature games, activities, a silent auction, brunch, a guest speaker and more.
Longtime RECLAIM volunteer Judy J. describes Celebrate the Love as:
“A fun, high energy event to celebrate the work of RECLAIM. From the moment you arrive, you are surrounded by people who are having a great time living as their authentic selves.”
The silent auction in particular provides an electric atmosphere, with guests excitedly upping their bids on more than 100 unique items in hopes of winning a prize of interest. The auction isn’t the only way to win, though. Guests can also purchase beads (raffle entries) to participate in Heads or Tails, a large group game, for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the Lion King at the Orpheum.
Outside of the prizes, though, the event highlights the joy of the LGBTQIA+ community and RECLAIM’s mission to support queer and trans youth. “My favorite part of the event is seeing the various generations represented, and especially the young people,” Judy explained. “Parents there with grade and middle school children. What a wonderful way for them to see the love of so many people of all sexual orientations and gender diversities.”
How to participate
There are several ways to participate in the event. Guests can purchase tickets online or by contacting Development and Communications Manager Samuel Doten at development@reclaim.care or 612-235-6743 ext. 2. Early bird tickets are available until Friday, January 12, 2024 and then prices will increase. Tickets can be purchased for individuals or tables, with tables available for groups of five or ten.
Volunteer
An event of this scale needs a lot of helping hands. Volunteers can assist before and during the event. Before the event, RECLAIM is looking for people to assist with collecting auction items, prepping the auction by cataloging and photographing items, and more. During Celebrate the Love, volunteers are needed to greet guests and assist with registration, sell beads for the Heads or Tails game, document the day through photography, help the auction run smoothly, and more. Volunteers are welcome to choose their own roles to fit their schedule and preferred pace of work. If you’re interested, please contact volunteer@reclaim.care or use the CTL volunteer signup form. Potential volunteers are also invited to attend either an in-person volunteer meeting on Wednesday, January 24th or an online volunteer meeting on Thursday, February 1, both at 6 p.m., which will orient volunteers and prepare them for a role they sign up for. Both of these can be found on RECLAIM's event calendar with links to register.
Sponsorship
There are also several sponsorship opportunities, which can be viewed on the Celebrate the Love website or downloaded: Sponsorship Packet [PDF]. To inquire about sponsorship, please contact Executive Director Ryan Fouts at ryan@reclaim.care.
Silent Auction
Silent auction donations are due Wednesday, January 31, 2024 and can range from gift certificates to private experiences and more. If you’re interested in donating or would like more information, please fill out our silent auction donation form or contact Administrative and Operations Coordinator Jess Ngo at jess@reclaim.care.
Celebrate the Love supports RECLAIM throughout the year and their work to make mental healthcare accessible to queer and trans youth ages 12-25. They’re one of the only organizations in Minnesota that offers financially accessible, specialized mental health care to this population. This special event makes it possible for RECLAIM to also continue their larger community work through engaging in community events and offering training and consultation services. You can learn more about RECLAIM and the work they do at www.reclaim.care, and you can view more information about CTL on the CTL website.
