A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of photographing Charity Gals Co-founders Stephanie Yurkewich and Rachel Gannage-Kemp. These beautiful souls are close friends with a deep love for the Niagara region, and they're about to make a real impact with their philanthropic prowess.
In 2018, they hosted their first-ever charity event, Stay the Night, with four other close girl friends. The idea was to host a fun evening event where people could gather together, dress up, and have a great time while raising money for a worthy cause. Hosted in Toronto's Distillery District, Stay the Night raised an impressive net $10,000 in support of Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Niagara's Safe Beds program!
With a remarkable drive to give back to their community in a fun and creative way, Rachel and Stephanie founded Charity Gals this year with the aim to host an annual fundraising event supporting a different local charity each year.
Earlier this year they invited me to join the Charity Gals team as their exclusive photographer, along with DJ Donna Love Joy from Hamilton. I am beyond thrilled to be a part of this incredible female-led, community focused fundraising force of nature that's dedicated to making a difference locally in Niagara.
It's a perfect match that marries my love of photography with my desire to do good work by giving back. I couldn't be happier volunteering my time, energy, and talent alongside these two inspirational women. Check out some of the photos from our session below!
This year's fundraising event, #partyforpaws, will support the Lincoln County Humane Society and the great work they do to protect animals. As a HUGE animal lover, it seemed fitting that this would be the first Charity Gals event I get to be a part of. Tickets go on sale Thursday, August 1!