December 26, 2024
NewsSportsNewslettersShaw Local RadioeNewspaperLocal EventsStarved Rock Country

Perfectly Flawed Foundation to host fundraising gala in La Salle

Organization has helped with more than 400 reversals of drug overdoses in the region

By Maribeth M. Wilson
Perfectly Flawed founder Luke Tomsha, who struggled for years with drug dependency and made helping others his new life's work, talks with the NewsTribune for a story at his La Salle office earlier this year. BEST Inc. will hire one person, to be based at Perfectly Flawed, to work with families and to support individuals dealing with drug uses, as just one part of a $680,000 Opioid-Crisis Dislocated Worker Grant.

The Perfectly Flawed Foundation will host its auction gala this Friday at Seneca’s Oak Ridge at 658 Route 6 in La Salle. (Scott Anderson)

The Perfectly Flawed Foundation will host its auction gala Friday at Seneca’s Oak Ridge at 658 U.S. 6 in La Salle.

The event will be presented by the Miller Group Charitable Trust. Individual tickets are still available for $80. The foundation also will host a preview of the auction on Thursday.

The mission for the evening is to raise funds for the foundation to support the services it provides for the community, Co-Chair Stephanie Bias said.

“We support the community with services like one-on-one peer support, recovery support groups, overdose prevention, harm reduction, mobile support, service navigation and referral to treatment, social activities, education and more,” she said.

The Perfectly Flawed Foundation was launched in 2017 by founder Luke Tomsha.

Tomsha said in an email the organization is important to the community because no one wants to bury a child, friend or loved one.

“We’re here to help prevent that. Perfectly Flawed serves as a critical and trusted safety net for people who traditionally would not seek help, don’t qualify for treatment and are at highest risk of overdose,” he said. “Our recovery community groups and activities are available at our center to anyone looking for non-clinical, peer-to-peer support at no cost. We’re here to help facilitate warm-handoffs and navigate care and treatment to those who feel stigmatized and hopeless.”

Tomsha said the Overdose Prevention Program has received reports of more than 400 reversals this year alone throughout the region.

“Not only does it reduce fatalities, our program also helps reduce burden and cost on EMS, first responders and emergency departments, " he said. “This has a critical impact on EMS response time for all families who may be experiencing other medical emergencies especially in rural communities.”

Those who are unable to make the gala are can still purchase 50/50 tickets for $5 each or six for $20 at https://www.perfectlyflawed.org/auction.

For more information on the auction visit https://www.perfectlyflawed.org/auction

Have a Question about this article?