The drive from Windsor’s west end to the gleaming white tent feels charged with anticipation. After last year’s record-breaking fundraiser for mental health and addiction services, tonight’s “The Big Party” arrives with considerable expectations.
“People here understand we’re not just raising money,” says Janice Kaffer, President of Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, as volunteers arrange silent auction items on tables adorned with purple accents. “We’re changing how this community talks about mental health.”
As twilight settles over the grounds of the Fogolar Furlan Club, guests begin arriving in cocktail attire – a sharp contrast to the work many attendees do daily at the front lines of Windsor’s mental health and addiction services. Tonight marks the fifth anniversary of an event that began modestly but has grown into one of the region’s premier fundraisers, with last year’s effort raising over $80,000.
“When we started, people whispered about these issues,” explains Dr. Thomas Harland, who serves as clinical director at the Transitional Stability Centre. “Now they’re showing up 400 strong and opening their wallets because they’ve seen how these services transform lives.”
The transformation is needed. According to Mental Health Research Canada, one in five Canadians experiences mental illness or addiction challenges each year, but many communities, including Windsor-Essex, struggle with waitlists and service gaps. The Canadian Mental Health Association reports that Ontario’s southwestern region faces particular challenges with opioid-related harms increasing by 67% since 2019.
Inside the tent, local chefs have prepared a multi-course dining experience, while auction items – everything from local art to vacation packages – line the perimeter. But the evening’s emotional center comes when Michael Brennan takes the stage. Three years into his recovery from substance use disorder, Brennan credits the programs funded by previous Big Party events with saving his life.
“I came to Windsor broken,” he tells the hushed crowd. “The services you’re supporting tonight didn’t just offer treatment – they offered dignity when I’d forgotten what that felt like.”
Brennan’s journey resonates with many in attendance. When he describes the six-month wait he endured before accessing intensive treatment, several healthcare workers nod knowingly. Research from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health shows such waits are common across Canada, with only one in three people who seek mental health services receiving timely, appropriate care.
What distinguishes The Big Party from similar fundraisers is its intentional focus on reducing stigma alongside raising funds. Between courses, short videos feature community members sharing personal stories of recovery. The evening carefully balances celebration with education.
“We’ve learned that people want to help, but they often don’t know how,” says event chair Sonja Grbevski, VP of Mental Health and Addictions at Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. “By creating this beautiful evening that happens to fund critical services, we’ve found a formula that works for Windsor.”
The formula includes transparency about where funds go. This year’s proceeds will support three specific initiatives: expanded hours at the Transitional Stability Centre, new youth outreach programs, and enhanced withdrawal management services. Each program addresses critical gaps identified by community health assessments conducted by the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
As dinner concludes, local musician Crissi Cochrane performs acoustic versions of familiar songs, their lyrics taking on new meaning in this context. When she sings about holding on through dark times, several attendees dab at tears.
“Music gives voice to emotions we sometimes can’t express directly,” Cochrane tells me during a break. “In a room full of people connected to mental health work, these songs become something else entirely.”
The evening’s success reflects a changing Windsor, according to many attendees. Once defined primarily by automotive manufacturing, the region has developed a growing healthcare sector. According to Statistics Canada, healthcare and social assistance now employ nearly 19,000 people in Windsor-Essex, making it the region’s second-largest employment sector after manufacturing.
“Ten years ago, this kind of turnout for mental health would have been unimaginable,” observes Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens, who makes a brief appearance. “It shows how our community priorities are evolving.”
By evening’s end, the preliminary fundraising total exceeds $95,000 – a new record. As guests collect coats and auction items, many linger, reluctant to break the sense of community the evening has fostered.
For Kaffer, these moments of connection may be as valuable as the funds raised. “When people leave feeling part of something bigger than themselves, they become advocates,” she explains. “And in mental health work, advocates change systems.”
Outside, stars have appeared above Windsor’s skyline. Volunteers begin the work of dismantling the evening even as some guests continue conversations in the parking lot. The Big Party has officially ended, but its impact – both immediate through fundraising and long-term through community building – is just beginning.
“We’ll be back next year,” Grbevski promises. “And we’ll keep coming back until everyone in Windsor who needs mental health support can access it without shame or delay.”
