Present Pillars in Benton Harbor is planning its third annual Pillar Awards Gala for this month.

Present Pillars Director James Gunter tells us the group started three years ago as a way to support fathers in the Benton Harbor community.

“We have done things to really highlight the man behind the dad,” Gunter said. “Oftentimes when we think about fatherhood, we want to say, ‘Hey, this is how you should be a dad.’ But we also acknowledge that there’s no manuscript to being a dad or to being a parent.”

Gunter says Present Pillars supports dads with classes, activities, and services to help them get transportation, employment, and housing. The organization has grown quite a bit since its founding, having opened its Pillar Center at 204 West Main Street in March.

The gala will be November 23 at the Upton Grand Ballroom at the Mendel Center. Gunter says they’ll present awards, including the Pillar of the Year.

“The Pillar of the Year is a person that has done things that stood out over the last year. They could be a coach, a teacher, anything like that — a donor — just anyone that has really made a huge impact in our community over the last year.”

There will also be awards for athletes, mentors, business leaders, and fundraisers. In fact, the gala is a fundraiser for Present Pillars. As part of the evening, they’ll have a silent auction, live music, and dinner.

Tickets are available online, and you can get them right here.