| EVENT REPORT 02.27.09 11:34 AM |
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| Birthday Party |
| The Nelson Mandela Children's Fund marked its 10th anniversary with a gala dinner honoring Mandela's 90th birthday. |
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Although Nelson Mandela officially marked his 90th birthday last July, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund continued the celebrations at the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex Wednesday with a gala dinner in honor of its namesake. "This year it's a special year. It's a celebration of Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday and it's also the 10th anniversary of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund," said Diana O'Reggio, president and C.E.O. of the organization.
Four hundred guests attended the event, hosted by CBC Television news anchor Suhana Meharchand. The benefit featured a keynote address by award-winning journalist and author Charlayne Hunter-Gault—previous guest speakers have included Bill Clinton, Danny Glover, and Bob Rae—and entertainment by Lorraine Klaasen, Daniel Panetta, and Sibongile Nene. Guests also watched a video message from Mandela and footage of his 90th-birthday celebration in South Africa. Ritchies Auctioneers conducted a live auction, featuring trips to South Africa and Barbados. |
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PHOTO GALLERY |
 | Organizers wrapped the Artifacts Room, the site of the cocktail reception and silent auction, in white draping, and washed the room in pink lighting.
Photo: BizBash |
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 | A lit-up bar bearing the Liberty Grand logo sat in the center of the space.
Photo: BizBash |
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 | The event featured musical performances by Lorraine Klaasen, Daniel Panetta, and Sibongile Nene.
Photo: BizBash |
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 | Tall silver candelabras topped tables in the lounge area.
Photo: BizBash |
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 | White linens topped tables in the dining room, which featured minimal decor.
Photo: BizBash |
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 | Centerpieces from the Colour Field topped tables in the dining room.
Photo: BizBash |
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"This will be our culminating event," O'Reggio said, noting that the organization hosted an art auction and golf tournament in recent months marking Mandela's milestone birthday. "It's a tribute to Nelson Mandela, so we are incorporating South African colors. It will be simple and elegant." Organizers draped the reception area in white fabric and lit the room in pink. A lounge area included black furnishings and silver candelabras. In the main dining room, white linens and simple floral arrangements topped tables.
Guests dined on a meal of chicory and spinach salad with fresh mango julienne, shaved coconut, and walnut vinaigrette, followed by peri-peri-spiced chicken supreme served with charred green-onion mashed potato, fried okra, glazed carrot, red chard, broccolini, and a lemon zinfandel sauce. Dessert included Amarula, and white-chocolate cheesecake with an almond-crusted wafer, honey sabayon, and raspberry-vanilla blossom.
Event sponsors include OccMed Services, Figurs, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ontario Teacher's Federation, South African Airways, Travel Studio, Springbox Atlas, Barbados, Coral Mist Beach Hotel, Drostdy-Hof, Amarula Cream, and Van Ryn Brandy.
—Susan O'Neill
RELATED TOPICS
Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, OccMed Services, Figurs, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ontario Teacher's Federation, South African Airways, Travel Studio
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