Peace, Love, Accessibility to host Sept. 3 fundraiser combining research support and access awareness

Mary Caruso said Peace, Love, Accessibility will host a combined fundraiser and community-access event on Sept. 3 at the O and Ego in Brantford. "So this year, we're doing a combined event," she said, and added that "the majority of the money will go to research, and then a small amount will go to PLA" to support ongoing outreach.

Caruso said tickets are available through the group's Facebook page and that early-access tickets are priced at $75 through July 31; regular tickets are $100. The event will include dinner, a silent auction, a raffle and a single live auction item, and Caruso described volunteer "celebrity waiters" including police officers who have volunteered in past events.

The fundraiser is part of PLAs outreach strategy to raise awareness of accessibility needs while supporting medical research connected to Friedrich's ataxia, the condition she said affects her children. Caruso encouraged people to buy tickets and to attend local awareness activities that PLA and partner departments organize.