For the fifth annual Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO) fund-raiser at Liberty Grand, Vanessa Yakobson, the group's managing director of development and strategy, turned to Las Vegas for inspiration. Working with event planning firm Up & Coming Events, Yakobson set out to create the look of a glittering sin city hotel—complete with casino games from Bob Terry Games and scantily clad showgirls and a Frank Sinatra impersonator from K&M Productions.Much effort was put into designing an event that would transport 850 well-heeled guests to another time and place, but Yakobson says she didn't want people to forget that the main purpose of the evening was to raise money for the cause of children's cancer. With this in mind, Boomdon created attention-getting centerpieces featuring thin upright sheets of Plexiglass imprinted with images of children stricken by cancer. Feathers and candles surrounded the base of the centerpieces. "We wanted to make sure people understood what the cause was all about," Yakobson said.
A pre-dinner reception provided guests the opportunity to mingle and snack on treats such as dainty chicken liver pate canap?s and mini beef Wellingtons from the Liberty Grand kitchen. Dinner featured beet-cured salmon and prime rib with Yorkshire pudding. Dessert was cr?me br?l?e tarts and chocolate ganache topped with a honey poached pear filled with candied ginger. Afterward, sated diners joined after-party ticket holders (dinner guests paid $300 per ticket, after-party guests, $125) in playing games of chance such as black jack and poker and bidding on auction items. Suzanne Davis, president of Christie's Canada, led the auction. The showgirls contributed to the fund-raising through the sale of teddy bears, some of which came with concealed tickets redeemable for prizes.
The George St. Kitts band and DJ Adrien King of Adrien King Entertainment supplied the principal musical entertainment, with help from the Frank Sinatra impersonator and an Elvis impersonator, also from K&M. Before the night ended, the Liberty Grand catering staff swung into action one more time, serving take-out vegetarian pad Thai, sweet potato and Yukon gold fries with sea salt and aioli, and smoked salmon Tamaki cones, among other tasty eats.
Photos by: Hudson Taylor Photography
A pre-dinner reception provided guests the opportunity to mingle and snack on treats such as dainty chicken liver pate canap?s and mini beef Wellingtons from the Liberty Grand kitchen. Dinner featured beet-cured salmon and prime rib with Yorkshire pudding. Dessert was cr?me br?l?e tarts and chocolate ganache topped with a honey poached pear filled with candied ginger. Afterward, sated diners joined after-party ticket holders (dinner guests paid $300 per ticket, after-party guests, $125) in playing games of chance such as black jack and poker and bidding on auction items. Suzanne Davis, president of Christie's Canada, led the auction. The showgirls contributed to the fund-raising through the sale of teddy bears, some of which came with concealed tickets redeemable for prizes.
The George St. Kitts band and DJ Adrien King of Adrien King Entertainment supplied the principal musical entertainment, with help from the Frank Sinatra impersonator and an Elvis impersonator, also from K&M. Before the night ended, the Liberty Grand catering staff swung into action one more time, serving take-out vegetarian pad Thai, sweet potato and Yukon gold fries with sea salt and aioli, and smoked salmon Tamaki cones, among other tasty eats.
Photos by: Hudson Taylor Photography
Boomdon created centerpieces featuring thin upright sheets of Plexiglass imprinted with images of children stricken by cancer for the fifth annual Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario fund-raiser at Liberty Grand.
Scantily clad showgirls from K&M Productions raised funds through the sale of teddy bears.
A Frank Sinatra impersonator, also from K&M, belted tunes from the legendary crooner's repertoire.
Track lighting lit the cavernous after-party room in glitzy Vegas colours.
