RECORD PERFORMANCE: 2018 has been a banner year for Arts Umbrella, Canada’s preeminent arts education organization for young people. Based in British Columbia, the non-profit earlier this year got the green light for relocation of its current premises on Granville Island to the South Building of the former Emily Carr University property a stone’s throw away. The 50,000 square foot, purpose-built, arts education facility will house seven dance studios; five theatre & music studios; eight visual, applied & media arts studio; a 160-seat professional theatre; a publicly accessible exhibition gallery; and new workshop spaces.
In March the firm received $7 million in cultural space funding from the federal government to sparkplug the move and expansion. The B.C. government would pitch in another $1.4 million. A private sector capital campaign to raise an additional $20 million to realize this transformative project has raised already more than $10 million.
The show of support would continue at the Nicola Wealth Management Invitational. Benefiting Arts Umbrella, the golf gala would net $230,000 in proceeds to ensure the benefits of a high-quality arts education would reach even more children and youth across Metro Vancouver.
Arts Umbrella has been offering arts education in dance, theatre, music, visual arts, and digital arts to children for nearly 40 years; more than 20,000 young people annually, with eighty per cent through free community programs made possible by the generosity of individuals, businesses and foundations, says Paul Larocque , President & CEO of Arts Umbrella.
“This new building will allow us to keep this forward momentum and provide kids with limitless opportunities,” he added.
Players and benefactors agreed as they opened up their hearts and their wallets following the day of play at the Point Grey Golf and Country Club.
A Bohemian Rhapsody musical number by Arts Umbrella students kicked off the evening festivities. Following a standing ovation, Nicola Wealth Management CEO David Sung sparkplugged the night of philanthropy with a match gift of $20,000 that was quickly looked after by the capacity crowd.
To the delight of event chairs Jennifer Podmore Russell and Conor Kinsella , more giving would ensue in the paddle raise and live auction contributing to the impressive night. Companies also played a leading role. Among the many sponsors: Rennie, WBI Home Warranty, The Mortgage Group, Lawson Lundell, Gateway Casinos, Audi, Davidson Bros Mechanical and Reotech Construction.
Orbis Plane Pull for Sight
EYES IN THE SKY: Since 1982, the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital — a state of the art teaching and surgical facility — has flown to more than 100 countries to mentor, train and inspire local eye care teams so they can provide life-changing treatment to blind and visually impaired people in their communities. Drawing upon an international faculty of more than 400 volunteer ophthalmologists, nurses and biomedical engineers, the agency is dedicated to the preserving and restoring of sight in underserved areas.
Literally a hospital with wings that brings together advanced technologies, dedicated eye care professionals and aviators to give the gift of sight, the world’s only airborne ophthalmic training facility touched down in Vancouver after successful stops in Toronto and Calgary for the final leg of its national fundraiser.
Now in its 10th year, the annual Plane Pull for Sight is Orbis Canada’s signature fundraising event, which involves teams of 20 people competing to pull a 65-ton cargo plane along a 20-foot course at YVR International Airport.
Nineteen local teams fundraised to compete in the most recent contest. FedEx Canada — a global supporter of Orbis — donated the use of its planes and facilitated the pull, along with team members who were part of this year’s enthusiastic participants. FedEx has funded, provided aircraft maintenance and shipped vital supplies and equipment all over the world, says Alex Krievins , national director from Orbis. FedEx pilots also volunteer to fly the Flying Eye Hospital to its program destinations.
The 2018 campaign would raise $318,000, making it the most successful year to date. In ten years, Orbis Canada has raised $1.2 million in its fight to end avoidable blindness around the world. That translates to sight-saving surgery for over 12,000 children, reports Simon Holland , founding medical director and head of the volunteer faculty.
Forum Women for Entrepreneurs Garden Fundraising Party
SEEDING SUCCESS: Helping female entrepreneurs achieve new heights of success, Forum for Women Entrepreneurs took their spring fundraiser to the rooftop of Telus Gardens to sing the praises of its members and FWE’s education and mentorship programs.
Leading the pep rally was executive director Larkin Mackenzie-Ast and FWE founder Christina Anthony . The latter has grown the startup born 16 years ago from a local not-for-profit charity into a national resource designed to support and mentor women who are venturing into new business opportunities or ready to ramp up and grow their existing business.
Its membership got younger with the addition of five women — part of a newly launched program Juventas, named after the goddess of youth, providing women aged 16 to 29 an intensive year-long skills development and mentorship opportunity with influential women.
Budding entrepreneurs, Emma Irvine of Sweet Somethings and Performance Chocolate, Danielle Leroux of Organza Communications, Kristina Rasina of Alma Knitwear, Milène Vallin of Milène Vallin Communication Design, and Julia Wei of Clinic Mates were introduced at the social mixer, attended by fellow up and comers, including Nurse Next Door founder and NPA mayoral candidate Ken Sim .
