FOR THOSE ATTENDING, below are the answers to your 9 most frequently asked questions:
1. Where will the Gala be held? It will be in Exhibit Hall B of the Dayton Convention Center on 22 E 5th St in downtown Dayton.
2. When should I show up? Plan to arrive between 5:30 – 6:30 pm in order to be able to park, check in, and walk through our Experience Hope Rising Ministry Tour. The opening prayer begins at 6:55 pm.
3. Where do I park? You have two options:
a) park in the Oregon District Parking Garage on 116 E 5th St. Parking is free. It’s about a 3-4 minute walk in a covered walkway to the Dayton Convention Center. If it’s raining, you won’t get wet!
b) use the FREE valet parking that will be available after 5:30 pm by pulling up in front of the Dayton Convention Center. The tip is already paid!
4. What should I wear? It’s a semi-formal event. Most women wear dresses of varying levels of fanciness. Most men wear a blazer at minimum, and suit and ties are common.
5. Will I need to pay for the meal when I arrive? The cost of the meal (as well as all of the costs for the evening) have already been paid for by 114 generous Gala sponsors.
6. When will the event be over? The final ‘Amen’ will be said around 9:00 pm.
7. If I’m not already registered, can I just “show up”? Unfortunately, because we’ve already submitted and paid for the meal choices for those who have already registered, only registered guests can attend.
8. Is there assigned seating? Registered guests have been assigned to a table. At check-in, you’ll be informed of your table number.
9. If I need to cancel last minute, what should I do? Are you certain that you can’t come? We will miss you! Because your meal has already been paid for and we can’t get refunds for those, we ask that you do 4 things:
a) Try to find a replacement person(s) to substitute in for you.
b) Notify your table host (if applicable).
c) Call Susan at 937-250-6544 or email her susan@hoperising.org and let her know if you were able to find a substitute. (She can’t receive texts at this number.)
d) You can still give towards the fundraising goal using the green button below.
10. My question wasn’t listed here. Who do I ask? Call Susan at 937-250-6544 or email her susan@hoperising.org and she’ll be happy to answer these.
Exciting things have taken place over the last year at all four of the Hope Rising Pregnancy Centers! We are so thankful for an increase in clients that are coming to our centers, which gives our faithful staff and volunteers the opportunity to link arms with them as they journey through their pregnancy decisions. We also have seen many salvations over the last year. Praise God! We look forward to sharing more about what has been happening and where we are headed at our upcoming Heroes of Hope Gala. Our Gala theme is:
We hope you will partner with us in acting upon a sacred calling that we read in Psalm 82:3-4,
This will be held October 11th at the Dayton Convention Center. We’re excited to join with 900 other life-minded guests hearing uplifting client stories, a center update from our Executive Director, Sheri Lawson, and our inspiring keynote speaker as he shares his powerful testimony of being an abortion survivor.
The world around us is changing quickly, but our mission has not changed. We are committed to continuing to offer compassion, hope, and help without judgement to every client that walks through our doors. We invite you to join us in this mission by either attending our fundraising Gala or by giving a financial gift to help us reach our $550,000 goal!
We are very excited to have Josiah Presley as our keynote speaker at this year’s Gala. Josiah will share how many years ago in South Korea, his mother decided to have an abortion. She was shocked several months later to discover the abortion had failed. Unable to obtain a second abortion, she made an adoption plan for her child. That child, Josiah, was adopted by a family in the United States. He was born with a deformed left arm, presumably from the failed abortion. When learning his birth mother tried to abort, Josiah was taken on a journey of anger, shame, and eventually forgiveness toward her. His experience has given him a deep appreciation for all human life. Josiah has made it his mission to use his experience and pain to fight for the rights of the unborn.
He, his wife Bethany, and their daughter live in Edmond, Oklahoma where Josiah currently serves as the Student Minister at North Pointe Baptist Church. He has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Christian Leadership from Criswell College. You won’t want to miss Josiah’s compelling story!
For those who will be hosting a table: your role is vital to the success of the Gala! To learn more about hosting a table, please plan to attend Table Host Orientation that we will hold at our Kettering Center (2345 W. Stroop Road). You can choose to attend either session from 6:00 – 7:30 PM on Thursday, September 5th or 11:30 – 1:00 on Monday, September 9th. A meal will be provided for you at either session. You will receive important details about hosting and invitations for your potential guests. Please RSVP to susan@hoperising.org by September 3rd.
You can still be a Gala Sponsor and be recognized in the printed Gala program and in the November edition of the LifeLight newsletter. Sponsorship begins at $500 and includes various levels of recognition. Click here to become a Gala Sponsor today!
For more information, please contact susan@hoperising.org or call (937) 298-9998, ext. 1102.
| Benefactor of Life – $5,000 | Champion of Life – $2,500 |
|---|---|
| Ambient Productions Dean’s Plumbing Jack & Carolyn Ewig For the Glory of God Good Comma Editing Teresa Hennen Realtor LLC 4 Anonymous Sponsors |
Dr. Gideon & Dr. (Mrs.) Funmi Adegbile Phil and Pam Black Christian Blue Pages Dean’s Landscaping, Inc. Emmanuel Lutheran Church Grace Christian Fellowship of Dayton Honaker Hayes Wealth Management Hope 100.7 WEEC & 93.7 The Light WFCJ Allen and Robert Hye Dr. and Mrs. Joshua Jacobson John and Barbara Korb Patterson Park Church Gary and Heather Schoettmer 1 Anonymous Sponsor |
| Defender of Life – $1,000 | |
|---|---|
| In Memory of Sandi Hadick Advanced OB/Gyn Care of SW Ohio: William R. Dorsey DO Trisha Pachiano DO Pete and Kathy Avnaim, Beacon Insurance Agency Andy and Beth Black Bon Builders, Inc., Dana Shoup, RA Charles and Garnet Bristol Centerville Service Center Christian Life Center Dr. & Mrs. Steven Conover Customformed Products, Inc. The Dunaway Family Faith Baptist Church, Beavercreek David Geiger Allen Gilbar and Danna Lilly Jim and Cindy Good Grace Baptist Church/Troy Tom and Lisa Hamilton |
Curtis and Carolyn High Jeff and Amber Hole Steve and Sue Justice Kirkmont Church Ronald and Linda Miller Mayor Robin and Mr. Scott Oda Logan and Cassie Pals Redeemer Orthodox Presbyterian Church Roberson Law Steve and Susan Sato South Dayton Presbyterian Church Springboro Baptist Church Lowell & Leny Tenpas Dan and Patti Tubbs Upper Room / Tipp City Victory Church/Fairborn Drs. John and Connie Vitaliti Wellspring Baptist Church Zach and Hayley Woodward 2 Anonymous Sponsors |
| Guardian of Life – $500 | |
|---|---|
| In Loving Memory of Precious One, the Baldschun Family, & Nancy McLaughlin Carolyn Armstrong Douglas and Sharon Brook Jerry and Diana Caldwell Cedarville University Centerville Christian Fellowship Centerville Community Church Clearcreek Chapel Mr. and Mrs. Stephen English Fairview BIC Church Fearless Church Mark and Maria Holbrook Huber Heights First Baptist Church Mr. and Mrs. Adam Josefczyk Koinos Church LAUCO Engineering Sheri Lawson |
Nick and Amanda Leimbach Miles & Co. Community Group from Fearless Church Dr. Sarah Nashi Pleasant Grove Missionary Church Patricia Puckett Phil and Jo Anne Rohrer Sim Trainer Shooting Range Jeff and Beth Schultz Sonshine Commercial Cleaning Sovereign Grace Church Dayton The Covenant at Sugar Grove The Living Word Church University Baptist Church Keith & Lynn White Mr. and Mrs. Paul Wojtowicz 5 Anonymous Sponsors |
We praise God for exceeding our goal and providing over $500,000 through your gifts and pledges! Thank you for supporting us as we work toward the vision that every person in the greater Miami Valley will experience gospel transformation that empowers them to choose life for their unborn children and God’s design for sexual purity. We are especially grateful for our Gala sponsors, table hosts, Board members, staff, and volunteers who made this special evening possible.
Because of generous friends like you, we can continue to provide information on adoption and parenting, and offer the life-saving tool of a 3-D ultrasound at absolutely no cost to the client.
Our free pregnancy services made a world of difference for Trinity, who shared her story at the Gala:
When my boyfriend and I found out we were pregnant, we were lost and very uncertain about what to do. We found Miami Valley Women’s Center on Google and when we came for our appointment, we were met with judgment-free help. I received a free ultrasound, and after seeing our daughter’s little heartbeat on the screen, I was in tears and knew right away that I wanted to have her. Our journey has made us realize that no one is ever truly prepared for a family, but with great support systems like the Miami Valley Women’s Center, it can be a much smoother transition into parenthood.
Of the three young ladies who shared at the Gala, two of them found the MVWC through a Google search. With 2,770 abortions performed in the city of Dayton in 2020, we commit to using Gala funds to increase social media and Google advertising in an effort to reach more women before they visit the abortion clinic or order the abortion pill.
We covet your prayers as we move forward to achieve our Gala goals: increasing marketing, expanding student outreach, and relocating our Huber Heights center to a more visible location.
