On Thursday, Feb. 21, the Women’s Center hosted their eighth annual Indulge in a Cause event at Grand Valley State University’s Eberhard Center.

The event, a fundraising effort for the Women’s Center, featured two hours of all-you-can-eat chocolate for attendees with a silent auction throughout, where participants could bid either $10 or $15 per item, as many times as they wanted, and enter a drawing to receive one of the items, which included dental and spa packages, a year’s worth of flower deliveries, weekend getaways, and even packages for kids.

“Everyone bids the same amount (per item) and then get entered in a drawing to win it,” said Lauren LeFurge, Women’s Center intern. “It goes to the Women’s Center for the programs that they run and for the Leadership House that they run.”

The funds will also go to fund study abroad trips that Women’s Center staff will take, she said.

Scenes from the Women’s Center’s most recent study abroad trip to South African flashed on the wall of the banquet hall throughout the event – one of the trips that proceeds from the event will go toward funding, said Brittany Dernberger, assistant director for the Women’s Center.

“All of the proceeds benefit us,” Dernberger said. “While we do get some funding from the university, this allows us to expand our programs and initiatives. This is the eighth year, and it’s always a lot of fun.”

The money raised goes toward the Women’s Center’s Endowment Fund, Dernberger said.

“This account funds a number of initiatives, including our South Africa study abroad trip, programming and events,” she said. “It gives us that cushion of extra support.”

All of the goodies were donated by local businesses, including Meijer, San Chez Bistro, Cabot Cheese, Kilwin’s and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.

Gale Davis, GVSU Provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, served up slices of cake to attendees, and said she attends the event annually.

“I support the Women’s Center in general, and when I was a faculty member, I was a women’s studies faculty member, so it connects in that way,” Davis said. “And it’s fun. It’s nice to have the community come out and just do something different.”

The event had a fairly large turnout, something Dernberger expected.

“We always see quite a few people for this,” she said. “What’s nice is the open house style.”

For more information about the GVSU Women’s Center, visit www.gvsu.edu/women_cen.

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