On April 5, Aldea Children and Family Services held its seventh annual fundraising gala, “Changing Lives and Creating Bright Futures” at the Carneros Inn. The gala honored Garen and Shari Staglin with the Allen Ewig Award for mental health and child welfare services, for their tireless efforts to end the stigma of mental illness by talking openly about how it has touched their family and by pressing for breakthroughs in treatment.

The evening also included a special memorial tribute for Allen Ewig, who spent 33 years of his life shepherding Aldea as it transformed into a cornerstone of mental health and child welfare services for the community. Allen’s dedication to excellence and high standard for care in mental health and child welfare services has built a lasting organization whose leadership and staff are devoted to treating the most vulnerable members of our community.

Many thanks to co-event chairs Shannon Ryan and Juanita Epps! Many thanks also to all of those who attended; Napa Valley wineries and businesses that donated items and services; and volunteers: you really made the evening an amazing event!

I also want to extend a special thank you to Garen and Shari Staglin, who were our honorees. As such, they were presented with the Allen Ewig Award. This award was created to honor individuals in the community who continue to fight for and support professional mental health and child welfare services for all. As I mentioned before, Shari and Garen Staglin have been touched personally by the challenges of mental illness in their family. Not shying away from a challenge, the Staglins created their own foundation to raise money and awareness about mental illness and its causes.

Since 1995 the annual Staglin Music Festival for Mental Health has raised more than $53 million for research. Although the primary focus for the Staglins has been on research leading to innovative treatments of mental disorders, they have not ignored the need to provide treatment locally. The Staglins have created a partnership with Aldea making us a beneficiary of their event for 10 years. Funds from the Staglin event go directly to services for children who would otherwise go untreated. The Staglin family has done so much for Aldea and for that we are forever grateful. Thank you, Garen, Shari and the entire Staglin Family for your support over the years.

For 35 years Aldea Children and Family Services has served vulnerable children and adults who suffer from a variety of mental health and social problems. Issues of neglect, depression and other behavioral and social challenges are often devastating to the individual, the family and the community. Aldea is committed to healing these individuals with professional and compassionate mental health and child welfare services which will assist them with success in work, home and school.

(Bontrager is the executive director of Aldea Children & Family Services.)