Crystal Lee Foundation Gala Dinner to build on op shop success

The Crystal Lee Foundation will be holding its annual gala dinner at the Koroit Theatre on October 22.

The eveing will include a three-course meal and entertainment from local performer Gabby Steel.

In between the food and music, auctions will be held, with clothing, hampers and accommodation packages among the items on offer.

Crystal Lee Foundation founder Jo Sinclair said all money raised from the night would go towards funding the foundation.

Ms Sinclair set the foundation up in 2019, in honour of her daughter Crystal Johnson who lost her fight to cancer in January of that year. She was aged just 19.

The foundation funds bereavement counselling, as well as some individual cases of families with ill members between the ages of 13-24. Ms Sinclair said the bereavement counselling service was open to anyone in the south-west who needed help in the grieving process.

"It's not just for people who have lost someone to cancer, its open to everyone who is struggling with their grief," Ms Sinclair said.

"The fundraising the foundation does allows us to provide this service for free and it is something there is a great demand for."

The gala dinner is expected to attract 150 people, with group or individual bookings welcomed.

Ms Sinclair is hopeful the dinner will continue the momentum the Crystal Lee Foundation has gained through the opening of an op shop in Commercial Road, Koroit.

The op shop opened on April 16 and has already established itself as one of the town's busiest shops.

Ms Sinclair said she had received only positive feedback about the op shop.

"The shop is representing Crystal's memory and everyone who supports our cause so it was a non-negotiable that it would be the best quality it could," Ms Sinclair said.

"People are thrilled they can come in and get really good quality items that are affordable."

Tickets for the gala dinner can be booked at the website https://www.crystallee.org/ or at the op shop.