| EVENT REPORT 10.13.09 1:01 PM |
|
Bell Gala Adopts Storybook Theme With Enchanted Forest Decor, Fairy-Tale Fashion Show
|
 | The entrance to the dining room
Photo: Gary Beechey for BizBash |
|
For the 18th annual Bell Gala, which also marked the final year of a five-year funding commitment to the SickKids Foundation at the Hospital for Sick Children, Patricia Lakin, Bell’s national director of special events, created a fairy-tale theme meant to signify a storybook ending to the partnership. Held Thursday at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, this year’s event, dubbed Once Upon A Time, attracted more than 1,800 guests, including 100 local celebrities.
“We wanted to do a really storybook entrance. It’s like entering what I’ll describe as Bell’s version of Once Upon A Time,” said Lakin. She used a white rather than red carpet and created an interview area where guests sat on oversize Alice in Wonderland-style chairs prior to posing for photos in front of a step-and-repeat adorned with the Bell logo. A doorway fashioned from a blue and white book led guests into the reception area, which was decorated like an enchanted forest and included a teacup carnival ride.
MORE >>
RELATED TOPICS
Bell Canada, Hospital For Sick Children, SickKids Foundation, Samsung, Palm, BlackBerry, VMC Group, CGI, The Globe and Mail, Resource Integrated, Lufthansa, Vincor Canada, Corby, Hudson's Bay Co. |
 |
| EVENT REPORT 09.01.09 1:37 PM |
|
Driven by Volunteers, Inaugural Oceana Ball Adopts Water Theme
|
 | Models in mermaid costumes at the Oceana Ball
Photo: BizBash |
|
Planning a black-tie gala at the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex is big undertaking, particularly for a volunteer committee of students and young people organizing a first-time event without the help of an event management firm or a PR agency. “We have a few corporate members on board but most of us are students,” said Vanessa Drautz, co-chair of the inaugural Oceana Ball, held Monday in support of the Herbie Fund at the Hospital for Sick Children. “We really wanted to put a first-class event together. We wanted to do something to contribute.”
Drautz worked alongside committee chair Brittney Kuczynski and fellow co-chairs Alireza Rafiee, and Michelle Spezza to plan the event in conjunction with Vicky Braverman, development coordinator for community involvement at the SickKids Foundation. “I support them from a fund-raising side, but the details like the decor and food, I don’t get involved in that,” said Braverman, who reported that the Herbie Fund—a volunteer-based organization that helps bring kids from all over the world to the Hospital for Sick Children for life-saving surgeries—relies solely on fund-raising efforts.
MORE >>
RELATED TOPICS
Hospital for Sick Children, SickKids Foundation, The Herbie Fund, Citytv |
|
| Q & A 04.30.09 12:41 PM |
|
Joel Hock Takes Celebrity Car Rally to L.A., Miami to Raise Funds for Kids With Cancer
|
 | Solutions With Impact's Joel Hock
Photo: Charlie Gallay/Getty Images |
|
Last fall, Joel Hock, founder and president of the Toronto-based event management firm Solutions With Impact, produced an event to benefit the Hospital for Sick Children. Called the Car Rally for Kids With Cancer, the two-day event, held during the Toronto International Film Festival, paired luxury-car owners with celebrity navigators for an interactive scavenger hunt across the city. Drivers had to raise $25,000 to enter the contest, and the event raised more than $1.2 million for the hospital.
This weekend, Hock hopes to duplicate that success in Los Angeles, where Eva Longoria Parker is the event chair for the city's first Car Rally. The benefit—in support of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Padres Contra El Cáncer, a nonprofit organization that supports families of Latino children with cancer—kicks off with a launch party at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Friday and concludes with a gala dinner Saturday night at a $30 million private home in Beverly Hills (owned by Bill Phillips of Transformation.com). With another Car Rally slated to run in Toronto this September, and Las Vegas and Miami incarnations in the works, we spoke with Hock about expanding the event.
Why did you decide to take the event national this year?
I think the event itself works from a fund-raising standpoint. People, once they understand it, want to get involved. And kids with cancer is a cause that hits home whether it’s in L.A., Vegas, Miami, or Toronto. In my opinion, the cure is just around the corner and all it takes is money. This event is driven by the participants.
MORE >>
RELATED TOPICS
Hospital for Sick Children, Eva Longoria Parker, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Wonderwall, MSN, E! Entertainment, Access Hollywood, L.A. Confidential Magazine |
|
| EVENT REPORT 12.02.08 4:25 PM |
|
Chanel Replicates Miami Fashion Show With Lifeguard Towers, Runway Surrounded by Water
|
 | Models at the Chanel show
Photo: George Pimentel |
|
More than 600 guests attended a rare Chanel fashion show at the Direct Energy Centre's Heritage Court Thursday to benefit HealthyKids International, a new initiative of the SickKids Foundation at the Hospital for Sick Children. Mafalda Caruso, CTV's executive director of special events, worked with the luxury retailer to replicate the presentation of Karl Lagerfeld's 2008-09 Chanel resort collection, which was held poolside at Miami's Raleigh Hotel in May.
In South Beach, models walked a curved black runway that ran along the inside edge of the hotel pool. "I replicated the runway exactly the same as Miami," said Caruso, who agreed to produce the event when CTV signed on as a sponsor. "It was difficult, but I feel I brought a piece of South Beach back to Toronto in the middle of winter." Caruso planned the evening in conjunction with Ruth Grant, chair of HealthyKids, and Jeffry Roick of McNabb Roick Events.
MORE >>
RELATED TOPICS
Chanel, SickKids Foundation, Hospital for Sick Children, HealthyKids International |
|
| EVENT REPORT 10.29.08 8:00 AM |
|
Carnival Games, Indoor Roller Coaster Create Circus Vibe at Bell Gala
|
 | Carnival games at the Bell Gala
Photo: BizBash |
|
More than 1,800 guests—including 100 celebrities—had the chance to play arcade games and ride an indoor roller coaster at the 17th annual Bell Gala, held Thursday at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The event, planned by Patricia Lakin, Bell Canada's director of national events, adopted a "Rock 'n' Roll Circus" theme this year. "We wanted this year to focus on celebrating emerging Canadian talent," she said, explaining that the circus theme allowed organizers to showcase a range of performers on one stage.
Bands like Finger Eleven, Hedley, Serena Ryder and Suzie McNeil performed at a dinner held under the Big Top. The production also included acrobatics, pyrotechnics, and a fashion show featuring designs by Versace and Jean Paul Gaultier. "We always want to have a combination theme that allows us to evoke some kind of childhood memories combined with a chic event," Lakin said. "The event is in support of a children's hospital so that connects the dots."
MORE >>
RELATED TOPICS
SickKids Foundation, Hospital for Sick Children |
|
| EVENT REPORT 09.16.08 1:39 PM |
|
Hospital Fund-Raiser Pairs Donors With Celebrities for Scavenger Hunt
|
 | The starting line for the Scavenger Cup
Photo: BizBash |
|
Twenty-five luxury-car owners paired up with celebrity navigators for the inaugural Rally for Kids With Cancer Scavenger Cup this past weekend, the final weekend of the Toronto International Film Festival. The fund-raiser, chaired by actress Goldie Hawn, and benefiting the Sick Kids Foundation at the Hospital for Sick Children, included three events created by Solutions With Impact.
"This is a Solutions With Impact event that we created for Sick Kids. We’re hoping it will become annual, and we’d like to actually take it nationwide, much like the larger runs," said Chad Brincheski, director of event marketing, who noted that Solutions has worked with the Hawn Foundation on other projects. "When we were putting the details of this event together we asked her if she would participate. She’s a huge philanthropist, so she was excited to be able to come out to Toronto and support Sick Kids."
MORE >>
RELATED TOPICS
Hospital for Sick Children, Goldie Hawn, Rosseau Asset Management, Rasko Diamonds, Grand Touring Automobiles, Northwest Lexus, Shaftesbury, Aquarius Men's Wear, Cosmopolitan Toronto Hotel and Spa, Legendary Motorcar Company, Pantages Hotel Toronto, Peel Regional Police, Air Canada, Pfaff, Harbour Sixty Steakhouse, Adrenaline Media, 104.5 Chum FM, CTV, eTalk, Toronto Sun, Car Guide, Canadian Auto World, Investment Executive, Suburban Life, World of Wheels, Concierge and the City, Evian, Forest Hill Car Service, Insight Productions, Nascar Speedpark, Serengeti Eyewear, The Printing House |
|
| NEWS 07.08.08 3:25 PM |
|
Goldie Hawn Named Honourary Chair of SickKids Car Rally
|
The inaugural Rally for Kids with Cancer Scavenger Cup—benefiting the SickKids Foundation at the Hospital for Sick Children—will be chaired by Academy Award-winning actress Goldie Hawn, organizers announced today. "There is no better way to give back than to support a charity like SickKids Foundation," Hawn said in a statement.
The Rally, to be held on September 12 and 13 during the final weekend of the Toronto International Film Festival, will include 45 luxury car owners who will be required to raise a minimum of $25,000 each to enter their car and draft a celebrity navigator (to assist the driver) for the scavenger hunt. The weekend rally kicks off with a cocktail party, dubbed the 'Qualifiers', at Muzik on September 12. At the party, drivers will have the chance to draft celebrities like Alfonso Ribeiro (of Fresh Prince of Bel Air fame), NHL hockey players Tie Domi and Paul Coffey, and NBA star Jerome 'JYD' Williams.
MORE >>
RELATED TOPICS
Hospital for Sick Children, Goldie Hawn |
|
| EVENT REPORT 11.29.07 11:08 AM |
|
Holiday Forest Lights up Gardiner Museum
|
 | Caiterwaiters from Jamie Kennedy Kitchens passed hors d'oeuvres at the 19th annual First Light gala and tree auction fund-raiser at the Gardiner Museum.
Photo: BizBash |
|
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Gardiner Museum. More than 250 guests attended the 19th annual First Light: 12 Trees of Christmas gala and auction, presented by Etherington and Vukets at the Gardiner Museum. The lavish fund-raiser included valet parking, a cocktail dinner by chef Jamie Kennedy, and an auction led by Stephan Ranger, principal auctioneer for Ritchie’s Canada.
Valets from Mark J. Mooney and Associates greeted guests as they stepped out of luxury cars into the brisk November evening. A large heated tent courtesy of Advance Tent Rentals near the museum entrance served as a coat check.
MORE >>
RELATED TOPICS
Jamie Kennedy, Hospital for Sick Children |
|
|
