BJ Birdie, the mascot for the Toronto Blue Jays, posed for photos as guests arrived at the event, and female models dressed in baseball uniforms reminiscent of those worn in the film A League of Their Own handed out bags of peanuts outside the venue. Attendees could also pick up a bag of popcorn from a popper on Bloor Street. (Guests had the opportunity to help themselves to more sweet treats from a table laden with candies and bubblegum at the end of the evening.)
A silent auction with sports memorabilia like autographed baseballs and Toronto Blue Jays jerseys filled the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, where guests sipped on Blue Skyy lemonade cocktails during a pre-dinner reception. A model wearing body paint and holding a sparkling silver bat stood atop a table in the middle of the auction items. “We wanted to do something a little bit different and get some attention to our silent auction,” Silverstein said.
“We are here to raise lots of money for Jays Care, which supports a number of children’s charities and programs serving children in need in the areas of education, physical activity, and life skill development,” said Silverstein. “We have the entire Jays team out tonight plus some alumni from the 1989 team. They’re in town for the weekend [to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Rogers Centre]. Our team is just tremendous supporters of the foundation."
Sixty-two tables filled the Samuel Hall Currelly Gallery, which Westbury National Show Systems illuminated with green and blue lighting. Platinum coloured linens and green napkins topped tables, surrounded by Victoria Ghost chairs. Spheres of white carnations, which looked like oversize baseballs, served as centerpieces. “We were trying to go for sexy baseball. We wanted it to really be fun and for people to get into it. Baseball is kind of a Sunday afternoon type of sport, and we wanted to make it a hot Thursday-night kind of event,” Silverstein said.
Citytv’s Dina Pugliese and Kevin Frankish cohosted the event, which included a performance by Randy Bachman, who sang hits like “Takin’ Care of Business.” Daniel et Daniel Event Creation & Catering served an appetizer of grilled vegetable polenta tart with artichokes, wild mushrooms, and red peppers, topped with Ementhal and Parmesan and served with a mixed green salad and balsamic vinaigrette. The main course was a grilled beef tenderloin topped with shredded short rib in a barbecue sauce, served with Yukon gold and rosemary mashed potatoes and a seasonal vegetable medley. A trio of three sweet items—a mini chocolate mousse, a mini strawberry rhubarb crumble, and champagne sorbet—rounded out the meal.
Event sponsors included Rogers, Accenture, Hewlett Packard, Samsung, BlackBerry, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Fasken Martineau, Torys LLP, Aramark, Lang Mishener LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Rogers Sportsnet, IBM, Trylon TSF, WesTower Communications Ltd., Kids’ Horizons Air Canada, OMD, and Publicis.
