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FD Study Club fundraiser is Saturday

Event will support Lotus Community Project

The Fort Dodge Study Club will celebrate Lotus Community Project, a homeless shelter for women and children, at its fundraiser on Saturday.

The fundraiser begins at 7 p.m. It will be held in the Cardiff Center at Fort Frenzy, 3232 First Ave. S.

The mission of Lotus, according to Ashley Vaala, executive director, is to provide resources and an emergency shelter for women and children who otherwise would have limited options.

Lotus differs from other services in the area. The Beacon of Hope Men’s shelter in downtown Fort Dodge does not accept women and some women do not fit the criteria for the Domestic/ Sexual Assault Outreach Center shelter in Fort Dodge.

Lotus will serve the counties of Webster, Hamilton, Humboldt, Wright, Calhoun and Pocahontas.

Lotus received its 501(c)3 designation in July, which secured its status as a nonprofit organization.

Renovations are underway at the former St. John’s Lutheran Church along 170th Street in Webster County, which will become the shelter for Lotus.

The property, northeast of Fort Dodge, is being donated by Iowa District West, which took ownership of the church when it closed in August of 2017.

The shelter is expected to open in December.

Meanwhile, Lotus has been providing resources and some shelter for women already.

“Since the weather has turned chilly and all the rain and how cold it is, we are getting a lot of local homeless people,” Vaala said. “Three to five a week right now, and that has been a struggle for us to help them.”

Vaala said she has been working with landlords to help families.

“We are working on building some relationships with landlords to help before people get to the point of needing that emergency assistance,” she said. “Working with those landlords also gives us a way to be informed about a struggling family a little beforehand, so that has been a good avenue for us to take.”

Jenn Becker, a member of the Fort Dodge Study Club, said the group saw Lotus as a worthwhile cause to support.

“Since it’s a new up and coming initiative in our community, we felt our support was best used helping them get started,” Becker said.

Vaala said she is grateful the Fort Dodge Study Club chose Lotus.

“I am just very grateful that the Study Club is doing this event for us,” she said. “I went and presented to them when this idea was a baby. The fact they accepted our mission and vision at that point was a huge deal for us. We had only held one board meeting at that time. We are just very grateful that they are such a well known charity group and they selected us.”

Becker said attendees are encouraged to bring gently used purses filled with feminine products.

Those who do so will be entered into a raffle.

The purses will be given to women who use the Lotus house, she said.

At the event, stories will be shared from those who have been helped by Lotus.

Vaala is looking forward to making new connections.

“Meeting new people in the community and socializing,” she said.

Jessica McClintock, a local singer, will perform.

A silent auction will be held as part of the program.

Dear Evan Hansen musical tickets, Air Choice One flight vouchers, rugs from Jim’s Carpet One, and Iowa State University versus the University of Kansas football tickets, are among the items to be auctioned off.

Fort Frenzy gift cards and a fire truck ride to school are other prizes that could be won.

Appetizers from Olde Boston’s Restaurant and Pub and a cash bar will be available.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at Central Iowa Distributing, 19 S 21st St., or by contacting Ashley Vaala at 319-429-4955 or by email avaala@lotuscommunityproject.org. Tickets will also be available at the door.

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