YELLOWKNIFE - With Mother's Day just around the corner, the art community and businesses are coming together in a collective effort to raise money for the Emergency Shelter for Women at the Centre for Northern Families.

The fundraiser, largely organized by Daron Letts of Squatterz Books and Curiosities, is called the Maternal Love Appreciation Day Celebration. Items donated from businesses in town will be featured in a silent auction. The event will also include live music, refreshments and multi-coloured brontosaurus balloons.

"It's just a party - people can come, they don't have to spend any money whatsoever," said Letts.

According to Letts, whose business will be hosting the event, the idea came from artist Bev Anderson.

"She came up with the idea last year of designing art cards with proceeds going to the women's centre," he said. "That started this thing off, so we just built a fundraiser off of it."

The cards will be sold at the event along with other artworks and books. Letts said five per cent of the proceeds from art sold through the store will be given to the women's shelter, while 100 per cent of the profits from Harry Potter books sold will be donated.

"It's a cause that should be near and dear to our hearts," said Letts, who is impressed by the co-operation of so many businesses.

"Everyone jumped at the chance to take part in this," he said. "It really warmed my heart to see what business owners were willing to do."

Moira Cameron, board co-ordinator of the Yellowknife Women's Society, was equally impressed. She said the shelter is in constant need of funding for things such as bathroom supplies.

"There's always supplies that are needed especially when we have definitely over 10 women a night," she said.

The group receives core funding from the Department of Health and Social Services, which she said pays for "a handful" of the things they need.

The fundraiser will be a big help, but Cameron feels the responsibility shouldn't lie solely on the public.

"We're really grateful for that. It's really affirming to see this kind of support from so many different areas," she said. "I would like to see more support, however, from major funding sources like the government."

Along with the variety of art that will be on display, Dawn Lacey, a Celtic and folk musician, will entertain attendees in the afternoon along with other musicians such as Azure DeGrow.

The fundraiser will take place tomorrow, from 11 a.m. To 7 p.m. at Squatterz Books and Curiosities at 3533 McDonald Drive.