4th Annual Celebrate Hope event March 9 | Community Spirit

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - The 4th annual Celebrate Hope event will be March 9 at The Venue in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the program begins at 7 p.m. Features music will be by "Shades of Soul."

The cost is $50 per person. The event will include semi formal attire and cash bar. To buy tickets, you contact Christy Wilferth at 573-579-8685 or cwilferth@att.net.

Celebrate Hope is an annual fundraiser to benefit Heart for Africa. Organizers say the have 27 babies living in El Roi in Swaziland, saved by the generosity of the community. Below is a timeline of accomplishments as a result of the community's generous support of this event.

• Fall 2008 - MedAssets CEO introduced employees to Janine's book, "It's Not Okay with Me"
• June 2009 – 2500 acre farm purchased in Swaziland, called Project Canaan
• June & July 2009 - first travelers from Cape Girardeau visited Swaziland on Heart For Africa service trip
• July 2009 - I traveled with 12 others from Cape
• August 2009 - our son Jared died
• Feb 2010 - First Celebrate HOPE to raise funds for baby home in memory of Jared - raised $125,000
• July 2010 - 60+ travelers from Cape area visited Swazi and dedicated land for El Roi baby home; El Roi means "God who sees us"
• Feb 2011 - Second Celebrate HOPE to raise funds for medical clinic - raised over $70,000
• April 2011 - footings poured for El Roi baby home
• July 2011 - Austin & I traveled with 20+ Cape area to Swazi
• Feb 2012 - Heart for Africa main office moved to Cape Girardeau from Alpharetta
• March 1, 2012 - first baby (named Joshua) arrived at El Roi
• March 2012 - Third Celebrate HOPE to raise funds for water project at Project Canaan - Raised over $80,000
• May 2012 - HFA co-founders  Ian & Janine left the US and moved to Swaziland to manage the project on site full time
• Feb 2013- 26 babies live at El Roi

For more information, you can click here to visit them online.

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