GREAT FALLS - The Black Eagle Community Center played host to a center stage fundraiser for Peace Place kids.
Peace Place is a respite for children with developmental, medical, mental, and trauma-based needs.
The fundraiser, featuring a silent auction with goods donated from businesses and live music, is meant to bring in money so Peace Place can facilitate an inclusive play space for its children in the organization's brand-new facility.
The new space will allow Peace Place to expand upon its amenities, giving children equitable and sensory-friendly outlets.
“One of the things I'm really excited about is when we move into the new space, we're going to have a designated quiet space. That is really important for my kid. A lot of the kids have a lot of energy that he doesn't really vibe with,” says Amanda Newman, who sits on the board for the organization.
“It will provide more play space, more therapeutic space, and will have a calming room. We'll have therapy rooms, we'll have an inclusive gym for our children of all ages from 0 to 16, plus office space and parent meeting spaces,” says Director of Operations Louisa Libertelli-Dunn. “It just gives us an ability to create an environment that works best for our kids, making it sensory friendly, user friendly and adaptable for all children."
“As a parent of two children on the autism spectrum, having gone through their youth and seen the reduction of services in our community for many of our children, just having the opportunity to raise money to increase services and opportunities for families, and our community is why we're here,” says supporter Casey Schreiner.
Peace Place had previously run under the First Presbyterian Church as a mission, but its new facility will open this fall at 519 Fourth Avenue South. Click here to visit the website.
