WINTER WONDERLAND: For the past 60 years, Family Services of the North Shore has provided counselling, support, education and volunteer engagement for families and individuals in need. Last year, the social service agency touched the lives of 10,000 people. A significant source of funds to support their work comes from their annual Family Winter Ball. Jill Drever and Carly Monahan chaired the event’s 33rd staging, sponsored by Macquarie and held at the Hotel Vancouver.
Three hundred parents and their kids — some 250 boys and girls in all — checked into the iconic hotel to make a difference in the lives of the many vulnerable children on the North Shore. The only gala of its kind, the event provides a unique opportunity for parents to engage in a conversation with their children about caring for others and giving back. The ballroom was transformed into a magical winter wonderland for the formal family affair.
Adults were greeted with flutes of sparkling champagne while the children enjoyed arts and crafts, a photo booth, and plenty of snacks and beverages. Little ones tucked into a lavish dinner of chicken finger and fries while adults grazed on braised beef short ribs before the evening’s fundraising effort to give a hand up and help 200 kids in need achieve their fullest potential. The community would respond in spades.
Major gifts from Erin and Burke Telfer, Ali and Kristen Pejman and Peter and Susan Green led the way. A funding match from Rodney Briggs and Robin Pascoe would further boost fundraising efforts. Before attendees — young and old — kicked up their heels, the show of hearts would result in more than $400,000 raised for Family Services of the North Shore.
“To our amazing committee, as well as our donors and sponsors, thank you for your generosity and commitment to the families in our community,” said Drever and Monahan, addressing the capacity crowd. Their sentiments were echoed by executive director Juila Staub-French and board president Neil Alexander.
Richmond Christmas Fund’s Not So Silent Night
MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT: The reality is not every family’s Christmas will be merry and bright. Many face financial hardships during this so-called festive period. Each year, the Richmond Christmas Fund operated by Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives does its best to help families in need, offering support, a warm meal and gifts under the tree. That number totalled some 2,100 families last year. First started by Ethel Tibbits back in the 1930s, the program relies almost entirely on donations from the community.
The Audi Richmond Showroom recently played host to A Not So Silent Night, Richmond Christmas Fund’s newest fundraiser. The merrymaker — sponsored by Audi, TD Bank and the Pacific Gateway Hotel — attracted the city’s who’s who to the Richmond Auto Mall for the holiday merrymaker. More than 300 kind-hearted folks turned out for the event’s debut on a rain soaked night.
Chaired by community leaders Wayne Duzita and Rob Howard, the event featured a variety of food and liquor stations, permitting guests to mix and mingle among Audi’s lineup of luxury vehicles. Between bites, attendees poured over a sea of silent auction items, only taking a break from bidding to raise their paddles in the not so silent spirited live auction led by Howard Blank. The night of spending resulted in more than $65,000 raised, shared Ed Gavsie, CEO of Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives and executive director of the Richmond Community Foundation.
Luminaries in attendance included MLAs John Yap and Teresa Wat; Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie, RCMP Superintendent Will Ng; Richmond News publisher Alvin Chow; TD Wealth Management’s Lee Howarth; PLLR Lawyers Tom Russell; Panatch Group President Kush Panatch; Craft Collective Beer CEO Andrew Harris; River Rock Casino Resort VP Chuck Keeling, and Gary, Rand and Ryan Cowell, owners of Audi Richmond.
