Donald Teuma-Castelletti
SHAWVILLE Nov. 3, 2018
Ladies’ Night returned to Atkinson’s Bar, as a variety of Shawville businesses converged at the local watering hole for an evening of drinks and shopping.
Saturday night saw vendors lining the walls of the three rooms in the bar, as manager September Hamilton organized the evening in order to bring recognition to all the different businesses in the area.
“It’s about encouraging shopping local,” said Hamilton. “It’s not a big benefit for us to put on, it’s more to get everyone noticed and recognized.”

With guests’ free entry, everyone was welcomed with a glass of mimosa, an entry for door prizes and the chance to get in on the 50/50 draw, in support of the Snowsuit Fund. From there, 16 local vendors were on display, showing off everything from moccasins to beauty essentials and shoes to many clothing options.
Filling all the needs of those looking for something more mystical was 99 Reasons, a store in Shawville focused on providing a wide range of goods and services. One such option that evening was to have a Tarot Card reading, with all funds supporting a local elementary school student, Zoé Burnett.
Six-year-old Burnett has a neurological condition known as Rett Syndrome, which affects her ability to speak and the use of her hands. Due to this, she requires a special computer, the Tobii Eye Gaze, to communicate in her daily life.
While Burnett already has the hardware, there are many peripherals for it that are ideal for making the system more portable, such as a roller mount.
99 Reasons owner Carolle Lavryssen decided that she’d use her participation in the event to help support Burnett’s equipment, as the young girl has been a regular customer to the shop. Burnett visits the shop with her grandmother often, said Lavryssen, so it was a great chance for her to give back.
In total, Lavryssen was able to donate $250 towards the goal, a fair chip into the total cost of the mount, which is around $1,700.