Suzie and Elissa - Saturday Night Gala

I look forward to the Convention every year! I’ve made so many wonderful friendships there, and each year I make more! It’s like nothing else I’ve ever been associated with; being with my sisters who all “get” what this “Gerry business” is about! I start planning for the next year while on the plane home!

I love the time spent at “The Shade Tree” too, and am happy to be able to help out for a few hours. I wish I could do more!

I know some people hesitate to attend because they say it’s expensive and Gerry won’t be there anyway. I don’t go hoping to see Gerry, I go to see my friends and help raise money for “The Shade Tree” and “Angels of East Africa,” or whatever worthy cause the GALS Foundation chooses to support. If I happen to bring home some really cool prizes from the auction and raffle, so much the better.

Suzie and Allan - Saturday Night Gala

I look forward to the GALS Charity Convention every year so I can catch up with me girlies (and a few verra brave PALS). Much squealing and hugging is the order of the morning of registration! For the next two days, there is a constant whirl of laughing, drooling over pictures of Gerry, visiting various casinos, seeing shows — I always like to get there on Wednesday to spend a few extra days doing the sight-seeing thing then buckle down to visiting and gossip and good food once the convention actually starts on Friday. Saturday morning is our time for visiting The Shade Tree Shelter. It is a time of service, doing whatever tasks the Shade Tree staff needs help with – it can be organizing clothing or toy donations, helping serve lunch to the residents, tending the babies while the staff is busy with other jobs, reading to the wee ones and working on art projects with them or planting veggies to help supplement the food requirements for the large population at the Shade Tree. In the back of each GALS’ mind is “There for for the Grace of God….”

On both Friday and Saturday, there are raffle tickets on sale with the proceeds going to The Shade Tree Shelter. Most of the items up for raffle were donated by GALS. Some of the items are so special, they are put up for auction with all the proceeds going to TST. Last year, there was also an auction for special items donated by Sam Childers and the proceeds for that auction went to Angels of East Africa to help support Sam’s kids. GALS Charitable Foundation is very near and dear to the hearts of GALS the world over, and I for one am very proud to contribute where I am able.

Gerry is usually too busy to attend the Convention, but that’s OK. He knows we are there for him and support him, and he supports us where he can by signing items for the event. We know he is proud of us and what we do for charity.

Sara - Saturday Night Gala

There is nothing I look forward to more than my annual trip to Las Vegas to celebrate our love of Gerry and to raise money for the Shade Tree. It is an opportunity to meet up with old friends, dress up a little if you want to, dance your butt off and be thoroughly entertained by each year’s special guest (in addition to our own Songbird, Katie). Visiting the Shade Tree to help out for a few hours on Saturday is a very special part of the weekend for me as well. If you have never been, I strongly encourage you to join us this year if you are able. You’ll be so glad that you did!

Sara

About The Shade Tree Shelter’s Mission

To provide safe shelter to homeless and abused women and children in crisis and to offer life-changing services promoting stability, dignity, and self-reliance.

The Shade Tree Vision…

Self-reliance for every woman and child.

At The Shade Tree, we believe…

That no one should ever have to endure a state of homelessness, existing in fear for personal safety
and without the means to meet even the most
basic of human needs – food and shelter.
That every human being, regardless of social status, has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
That all homeless children are victims because they lack choice and mobility.
That homelessness is a community problem that impacts everyone.
That everyone can be a part of the solution.

Please join with GALS Charitable Foundation and Gerard Butler Fans to help provide safe shelter to homeless and abused women and children in crisis.

Angels of East Africa (AOEA), founded in 1998 by Machine Gun Preacher Sam Childers, has rescued over a thousand orphaned children from starvation, disease and enslavement by the brutal Lord’s Resistance Army.

Today these children live in the Children’s Village, a secure compound and oasis of calm in the Southern Sudanese village of Nimule. Behind these protective walls the next generation of Sudanese leaders are housed, clothed, fed and educated, safe from the echoes of war that still traumatize the nation of Sudan.

Despite the incredible challenges associated with operating an orphanage in Sudan, the Children’s Village continues to flourish thanks to the tireless work of AOEA and her legion of dedicated supporters.

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