April 27—GRAND FORKS — “Helen’s Pajama Party” and silent auction, hosted by the Rotary Sunrise Club of Grand Forks, will return May 7 after a four-year hiatus.
Yvonne Gomez, president of the local club, told the Herald she had received “billions” of messages from people excited about the resurgence of the event.
They say, “‘It’s such a wonderful event, I’m happy it’s coming back,'” Gomez said Monday (April 22). “At two weeks, we already have 250 RSVPs.”
Helen’s Pajama Party and silent auction will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Eagle’s Crest on King’s Walk Golf Course in Grand Forks.
Each participant must pay their entry fee in the form of a pair of new adult women’s pajamas with tags. In exchange, participants will receive a drink ticket and will be able to participate in aperitifs. Additional drinks, including beer, wine and soft drinks, can be purchased at a cash bar.
Club members will organize and distribute the pajamas to abuse shelters in North Dakota and northwest Minnesota.
Nearly twenty years ago, an Iowa woman – Kelly Sargent – came up with the idea. The event is named after his mother.
“She was shopping and she was like, ‘Would it be nice to have brand new pajamas?'” Gomez said. “She thought it was silly, but pajamas always comforted her.”
Sargent then thought about women in domestic violence shelters and how often they arrive with few, if any, items, Gomez said. Sargent called his friends; they collected, packaged and delivered pajamas to area shelters.
This event ended up appearing in Rotarian magazine, and the Grand Forks club came up with the idea of offering a local version, which members had held annually for about a decade before the pandemic, when they made the decision to suspend the project.
In addition to pajamas, monetary donations are accepted at the event. A silent auction featuring a myriad of items from local businesses will be another way for participants to make a financial contribution to the cause.
The event begins at 6 p.m., with a brief introduction at 6:15 p.m.
“We want it to be a very informal social event,” Gomez said.
Around 7 p.m., the auctions will begin to close in 15-minute increments, she said.
Anyone interested in attending “Helen’s Pajama Party” can email Gomez at [email protected], or Barbara Knipe at [email protected], to RSVP. The full names and telephone numbers of each participant are requested.
If you are unable to attend but would still like to make a donation, arrangements can be made via email.
