Lilith made a triumphant return to Kimberley this year, raising $15,500 for the community.
The three-day event, ongoing since 2000 except for two years during the pandemic, was held around International Women’s Day, appropriate as this is a show by women, for women.
Lilith was started in 2000 by the Steppin Out Dancers as an event that supports women and creates a positive, supportive environment for all the women involved.
“We have an all female audience as well, which also makes it a fun way to celebrate International Women’s Day for the ticket holders,” said Lady’s Leg member Emily Gilmar. “We ourselves are a group of 14 women organizing it, so it all just seems to fit together nicely with the theme and sentiment of Women’s Day.”
The Lady’s Leg Dancers took over Lilith from the Steppin Out Dancers six years ago. And since then they are proud to have raised $52,400 for the community. In the 15 years the Steppin Out Dancers ran the show they raised $59,000, meaning Lilith has raised over $110,000 in its lifetime.
The $15,000 raised this year is the most ever and will give $10,000 to the Friends of Children East Kootenay; $2,000 for the Kimberley Helping Hands Food Bank; $2,000 for a graduating student at Selkirk High School; $1,000 for Seniors Helping Seniors Kimberley; and $500 to the family of a Kimberley child battling cancer for gas cards to get to and from their medical appointments in Calgary.
The cast of this year’s show included a great variety of song, dance, comedy, spoken word and musical theatre. It included: Lady’s Leg Dancers, Elli Gillen, Brenna Goertson, Wild Honey, Brit Kwasney, Sarah Stupar, CD & the Bees, Arissa Toffolo, Heather Wattie and It’s Getting Scot in Here.
It was sold out all three nights.
“We would like to give a special thank you to everyone who helped make our event successful, the performers, the volunteers, the local businesses that sponsored us this year,” Gilmar said.