Love without Bounds, DEC Celebrates Valentine’s Day with Community Dance!

This Valentine’s Day, Disability Equity Center celebrated with music, food, prizes and community. The DEC Valentine’s Dance and fundraiser at Corvallis Community Center (C3) was a sparkling event put on to celebrate “Love Without Bounds”.

Image description: Shiny red Valentine's Day Sign around a photo booth decorated with purple lights and pink and white stars.
Image description: Shiny red Valentine’s Day Sign around a photo booth decorated with purple lights and pink and white stars.

Cameo Perrells, DEC’s events and fundraising coordinator says the theme of “Love Without Bounds” was chosen as a way to celebrate dating and sexuality in the disabilities community.

Attended by local DEC community members such as Laura Estreich, Zina Allen, and DEC board chair Allison Hobgood, the event featured food, a glamorous photo booth, music by DJ Sav Trav, and a raffle fundraiser for DEC. Many of the items in the fundraiser were donated by DEC community members and the Albany Liquidation Warehouse.

Zina and Rachel sit at the welcome table. Zina is smiling and wearing a red shirt and multi-colored helmet. Rachel is wearing a mask and a dark green shirt.
DJ Sav Trav mixing music for the party. He stands at his mixing table with his laptop open.
Emilie and Andi pose for a photo in the photo booth surrounded by pink and purple lights and hearts.
Laura and Allison pose in the photo booth. They are smiling. Laura wears a pink top with pink suspenders. Allison wears a black jacket and jeans.
Three people pose in the photo booth surrounded by pink and purple hearts and lights.
Party goers stand in the dance hall talking. They stand near tables with white table cloths and in front of yellow walls.
Image description: Six pictures from the DEC Valentine’s Day Party including photo booth images, people talking and DJ Sav Trav mixing music for the party.

Perrells said the fundraiser will support more inclusive programming at DEC, including monthly meet ups in the community. “A lot of people are asking for more adult activities,” Perrells said, and so DEC is looking to host more casual get-togethers at local restaurants and bars in the next few months.

Cameo hands out tickets near the raffle table. She is wearing a bright pink dress over a long sleeve black turtle neck. She has long dark hair and is smiling while holding out green raffle tickets.
Image description: Cameo hands out tickets near the raffle table. She is wearing a bright pink dress over a long sleeve black turtle neck. She has long dark hair and is smiling while holding out green raffle tickets.

The fundraiser is also a way to engage the community in directly funding DEC activities. “We want to let people know what we’re offering has value,” Perrells stated.

Image description: pictures of the raffle table with various items on them.

Disability Equity Center is accepting online donations through our page on Network for Good (click the link to learn more).

Other fundraisers coming up might include a summer gala, a DEC birthday party, and a bake sale.

“I really like the bake sales,” Perrells said, “because it’s something made by people with disabilities and going to support people with disabilities, and it’s something people really want.”

Image description: Spanish flyer for Love without Bounds event on a table next to a copy of the Moth Dreams Zine and a small votive candle. The table is covered with a Valentine's table cloth with small pink X's and O's.
Image description: Spanish flyer for Love Without Bounds event on a table next to a copy of the Moth Dreams Zine and a small votive candle. The table is covered with a Valentine’s table cloth with small pink X’s and O’s.

More community events are coming soon for DEC: look out for a camping trip with Adventures without Limits and more monthly meet ups!

Photos and blog by Jen Hernandez for Disability Equity Center. All images used with permission for DEC only.

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