An Alice In Wonderland themed fundraiser raised $3,500 for the Langley Hospice Society on Sunday (July 14).
Held at Driediger Farms at 23823 72nd Ave., the Mad Hatter’s Raspberry Tea Party featured characters from the Lewis Carroll story, among them a beaming Queen of Hearts, a scowling Red Queen, the Cheshire Cat, and Alice herself, reading stories for younger participants.
Carissa Halley, the new executive director of the society, was impressed by the “amazing” response.
“What a great experience, to see the community rally around the hospice society,” Halley enthused.
Halley credited Driediger Farms with the idea for the event.
About 121 people attended the first time event.
Visitors enjoyed a raspberry tea under a decorated tent, served on fine china, accompanied by live music.
For kids, there was face painting, bouncing on an inflatable trampoline, games and other fun activities on the farm. Amanda Nadeau, retail development manager at Driediger Farms praised local businesses for their contributions, including cake from Otter Co-op, brews from Davids Tea, Checkers Premium Fudge and TransCold Distribution, bringers of ice cream.
Raspberries, of course, were provided by Driediger Farms.
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Nadeau praised the 20 volunteers from the hospital society who pitched in.
“Everything went really, really great,” Nadeau told the Langley Advance Times.
Even the napkins followed the Mad Hatter theme, looking like hearts and spades and clubs coming from Old Country Design Napkins.
Some props came from an “Alice” themed summer camp for kids that had and costumes were provided by the Langley Fine Arts School.
There were several tables full of teacups and saucers, many of them the result of an appeal by the society a few years ago for another event, with others coming from Driediger’s.
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Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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