On Sunday 15th of January, House Woodbrook will be hosting a Charity Ball at Greymane Manor, and expects to see a plethora of wealthy socialites in attendance from across the realm.
House Woodbrook, an organisation dedicated to altruistic endeavours and helping those in need, hopes to raise money for the LionHeart Orphanage and War Veteran’s Fund.
Speaking exclusively to The Lion’s Roar, Countess Violet Woodbrook said: “The main aim of the ball is to meet and greet, whilst having fun and raising funds for these important causes, both of which resonate strongly with our House.”
The organisation headed up by Countess Woodbrook has a variety of different departments, including militant, guard and covert divisions.
The Countess explained how her organisation has recently reopened its Stormwind Branch, and that the orphanage in particular holds a place close to her heart:
“My grandson was actually one of the children at the orphanage,” she explains, “our causes are the same; we do what we can to bring in orphans and people who need protection.”
When asked exactly what prospective guests could expect at the ball, the Countess explained:
“We have a full buffet prepared with a range of delicacies to enjoy. We will be hosting two games, competition, a horse race and balance beams too. At around 10pm we’ll be hosting an auction, which includes several high value items.”
When asked more about these items, the Countess revealed that thanks to a partnership with Justicar Vincent Haringoth of The Cathedral Chapter, they had something rather special up for grabs - a painting, in fact.
This particular painting can only be described as a vibrant watercolour representation of a young Anduin Wrynn, painted during his first year as King. The style of the painting is freeform and to a professional standard - but that’s a far cry away from its real selling point. You see, the painting was signed by the King himself before his untimely disappearance some years ago.
When asked more about how the Chapter came into possession of the painting, Justiciar Vincent Haringoth explained:
Article continues after the ad.
“The painting has been with the Cathedral for some years after a wealthy benefactor passed away, and left the piece to the Church in his will. The decision was taken to auction the painting for two reasons - firstly, so that someone of means would be able to become the custodian of a piece of our history. Secondly, so that we could raise valuable funds to support our charity works throughout the kingdom, and do some good in the world.”
The Auction is just set to be one part of the evening’s festivities however, and Countess Woodbrook was keen to stress that visitors could expect to enjoy a relaxed evening of networking, fun and games.
This event underpins an arguably larger issue however; the fact that there are so many out there still experiencing poverty, struggling to put food on the table, and in some cases, abandoning their children into orphanages like LionHeart. Not only that, but Countess Woodbrook cites the ‘political uncertainty’ of King Wrynn’s ongoing absence as a significant cause for concern - and that crime is on the rise as a result.
“Crime is rife. Fear is strong. Opportunities are low - especially for people who are not militarily trained. So we need to change this, invest back into people. Into society. Hopefully, bring communities back together again” she says.
It became clear throughout our conversation that the Countess cares deeply for those in need, and has dedicated a significant amount of personal resources and time into helping those she can. When asked what she would say to anyone currently experiencing poverty, she said:
“Remember, you are valuable. Every single person born into any sort of life, has value. We all have purpose, something to achieve, something to give and something to receive. Sometimes it can be something simple. To the world, you might be one person… but to one person, you can mean the world.”
Strong words indeed. The Lion’s Roar will be attending the Charity Ball on the 15th, and will be sure to report back on how much was raised. Who will take the painting, and how much will it go for? We’ll be the first to let you know!