鈥淎fter a 20-year hiatus, Dawn to Dawn Action on Homelessness Society and Comox United Church are ringing in the holidays by sponsoring the 鈥渞eunion performance鈥� of the celebrity reading of the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol,鈥� said Bruce Curtis, co-director of this year鈥檚 event. 鈥淚t will run at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10 at Comox United Church.鈥�

This year鈥檚 reunion performance will feature 32 celebrities from across the Valley and the Island. Some of those reading will include leaders from School District 72 and its employee unions, the mayors and Comox Valley Regional District directors, leaders of several social service agencies and many other K鈥櫭砿oks First Nation and community leaders.

The revenue from this year鈥檚 performance will be split between Comox United Church鈥檚 programs and the Dawn to Dawn project to create a safe, secure and culturally appropriate peer-supported home for Indigenous and non-Indigenous 2SLGBTQQIA youth ages 16鈥�26. The home will be called Gukwas sa Wigalus or House of the Rainbow.

This unique housing project is a collaboration between K鈥櫭砿oks First Nation, the elders and hereditary chiefs of the Puntledge, E鈥檌ksen and K鈥檕moks peoples, Dawn to Dawn Action on Homelessness Society, and Comox Valley Pride. When it begins operating it will be a unique facility in the Comox Valley and within B.C. It is also possibly the only one in Canada, and perhaps North America.

鈥淏esides the classic story, of a profound change of heart for Ebeneezer Scrooge, we are also bringing back the Victorian Tea Buffet at intermission,鈥� Curtis said. 鈥淭he Victorian Tea is a very popular feature and it is included in the ticket price. Sugar plums, Christmas cakes, tarts, cookies and squares will cover the burgeoning tables, along with an invigorating cup of tea at the intermission.鈥�

Tickets are available at Blue Heron Books in Comox and The Laughing Oyster Book Store in Downtown Courtenay. Tickets may be paid for in cash or cheque at Blue Heron, and at Laughing Oyster also with a credit card. They may also be paid for by e-transfer to Curtis at bwcurtis@shaw.ca. For a tax receipt from either Dawn to Dawn or Comox United Church (choose one) please submit your name, address and phone number with your payment.

鈥淚n previous years, almost $5,000 was raised for those who otherwise would go without during the Christmas season. This year we look forward to raising a significantly larger contribution for Gukwas sa Wagalus 鈥� House of the Rainbow and Comox United Church programs.鈥�