Three Oaks Foundation will be holding a fundraiser event in support of women and children experiencing intimate partner violence in our community.
Beyond the Folding Chair: An Evening with Lauren McKeon will take place on on Saturday, November 1, 2025 at The Belleville Club.
You can read the full press release below:
Three Oaks Foundation is proud to present Beyond the Folding Chair: An Evening with Lauren McKeon, an inspiring fundraiser dedicated to supporting women and children experiencing intimate partner violence in our community. The event will take place on Saturday, November 1, 2025 at The Belleville Club (210 Pinnacle Street, Belleville).
The event marks the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time to honour survivors, raise awareness, and commit to building safer futures. For over 40 years, Three Oaks Foundation has provided safe shelter and support services to women and children experiencing intimate partner violence in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties. This fundraiser is an opportunity for our community to stand with them.
This special evening features renowned feminist author and award-winning journalist Lauren McKeon, who brings an unflinching, intersectional perspective to her work. McKeon’s writing critiques the systems that keep women from taking a seat at the table and pushes us to ask: What’s beyond the folding chair? Her keynote will challenge attendees to think critically about power, gender, and what it takes to build new, equitable spaces.
Currently Executive Editor of Non-Fiction at Harper Collins Canada, McKeon has held senior editorial roles at Toronto Life, Reader’s Digest, The Walrus, and This Magazine. Her work has appeared in Maclean’s, Chatelaine, Hazlitt, and more. She is the author of three groundbreaking books—Women of the Pandemic, No More Nice Girls, and F-Bomb: Dispatches from the War on Feminism—with a forthcoming memoir from McClelland & Stewart.
Guests will enjoy an elevated culinary experience prepared by Chef Sam Robertson, who brings over 30 years of expertise to the table, offering appetizers paired with wine or non-alcoholic refreshments. Pianist Jon Roblin will set the tone for an elegant evening of reflection, conversation, and empowerment.
The evening’s program includes:
5:00 p.m. – Cocktails, mingling, piano accompaniment, and exclusive silent auction opening
6:00 p.m. – Keynote by Lauren McKeon, followed by panel interview with Three Oaks Foundation
8:30 p.m. – Book sales and signing with Lauren McKeon
9:30 p.m. – Silent auction closes
Tickets are $60 per person, which includes appetizers by Chef Robertson, beverage options, and entry to the exclusive silent auction. All proceeds from the evening will directly support the work of Three Oaks Foundation, which provides shelter and services to women and children experiencing intimate partner violence in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties.
The event also marks the launch of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, bringing feminists, advocates, and community members together for an empowering night of ideas, delicious food, music, and solidarity with survivors.
We extend our gratitude to the City of Belleville and The Belleville Club for their generous support in making this event possible.
Tickets are available now on Eventbrite at: https://BeyondTheFoldingChair.eventbrite.ca
