Plan your own anniversary event

PWRDF is launching a fun and exciting new initiative for parishes and dioceses to celebrate its 50th anniversary. "From Cookies to Champagne: 50 CAFE Events" will encourage and engage parishes in their ministry of outreach and social justice.

Parishes and dioceses in each Ecclesiastical Province will be encouraged to hold 50 special PWRDF anniversary events per Province. From teas after church hosted by Church Schools to potluck suppers, and from youth hosted pizza parties to gala dinners, the idea is to be creative and diverse, encouraging parishes to participate at whatever level they are able. The possibilities are endless! For some ideas to get you started, take a look in the Stories section of our website.

A kit will be made available to parishes wishing to host an event, which will include a DVD with a special anniversary message from Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Support and resources are available, and all parishes holding events will be acknowledged in a special section on our website. Ideally, the celebrations will encompass all of our 50th anniversary goals (Celebration, Awareness Raising, Fundraising, and Education). We know that many events have already taken place, and these will also be acknowledged and included in the listing of each Province’s 50 events.

For more information, to order your parish kit, or to tell us about an event that has already happened, please contact Carolyn Vanderlip at 416-924-9199 ext 266, or cvanderlip@pwrdf.org.

PWRDF offers this event planning guide (pdf) and the stories of events that have already taken place to provide a starting point and inspiration for planning a local celebration.

These guidelines will evolve and be updated as we learn from each of the events planned. Please be sure to share your events and activities with us.

Offer your volunteers a Volunteer appreciation certificate. Contact us to order them.

See more resources