MEMORABLE TOAST: Spirits were high when more than 550 business leaders and young professionals convened at the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Aquarium recently for the marine science centre’s 11th annual Toast to the Coast gala chaired by Nicole Parmar and Brianna Blaney and presented by CIBC. In contrast to the cool, crisp autumn evening, the atmosphere inside was warm and inviting as guests sipped and savoured their way through the Aquarium’s many galleries and satisfied their appetites as well as their curiosities. They were able to connect with the aquatic creatures while supporting conservation efforts. Seventeen restaurants supportive of the Aquarium’s Ocean Wise Seafood Program and Ocean protection efforts headlined the main event, sharing their sweet and savoury creations to a very appreciative audience. Featuring a great selection of wine, spirits and coffee, the event netted the Aquarium a record $170,000.
MEAL PROGRAM: Care B.C. celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Meals on Wheels Program. Yours truly served as master of ceremonies of the milestone event, an exquisite dinner and auction staged at the Westin Bayshore Hotel. The gala affair attended by about 400 supporters was an opportunity to thank the many people who have been instrumental in the program’s success. Since 1967, the society has been operating the meal program in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»and Richmond thanks to the dedication and service of some 400 volunteers. Last year, volunteers served over 118,000 meals to roughly 1,300 clients, according to board president Tom Chambers and executive director Inge Schamborzki. A $50,000 gift from Helen Shore — a longtime volunteer and now client of the MOW program — sparkplugged the night of giving. A fireman’s dinner and a Japan Airlines trip to Tokyo would add another $20,000 and $9,000 respectively. Along with individual donations, the charity netted an impressive $200,000 — its largest fundraising tally to date. Schamborzki said the evening celebrated five decades of service to the community and gave thanks to the community of supporters.
LEADING THE WAY: Sheila Ross was recognized with the Joseph and Rosalie Segal United Way Community Vision Award. The longtime United Way and community supporter received the tribute at the United Way of the Lower Mainland’s annual Pathfinders Dinner, a recognition event at the Four Seasons Hotel for major gift donors. The Community Vision Award recognizes individuals or families who have shown outstanding commitment to the betterment of the community through their leadership and support of United Way. United Way President and CEO Michael McKnight presented the award in front of a capacity crowd. Ross was joined by three generations of her family to receive the honour. The spirit of philanthropy and community building runs deep in the Ross family. Ross’ father was F.R. Graham, an important financier and industrialist in pre-and post-war B.C. and one of 10 founding fathers of the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Foundation, Canada’s largest community foundation.
SUITING UP: Hugo Boss’ latest instalment of Own Your Journey — a national campaign with notable personalities — saw the retailer host an intimate reception in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»with Seattle Seahawks tight end Luke Willson. The six-foot-five, 252-pound Willson was born in Windsor, Ont. and raised in the adjacent town of LaSalle. Drafted in the fifth round, 158th overall in 2013, Willson has become one of a handful of Canadians to find success in the National Football League. The star football player and fan fave headlined the Oakridge Mall event, which was billed as a night of style, sports and success.  Suiting up in Hugo Boss, Willson shared his journey to success from being a small town Canadian boy to playing for one of the top teams in the NFL. Top clients, influencers and media attended the event while fans mugged with the affable Willson before the NFLer sat down with Sportsnet broadcaster Scott Rintoul to share his personal story from relative unknown to gridiron fame.
EXPERIENTIAL DELIGHT: Mason Wu’s Leisure Centre in the heart of Yaletown epitomizes an underground New York vibe of coolness. Declaring it a hub that contains each one of his passions — from clothing, music, and art, to books, décor, and housewares — Wu recently opened the doors to the experiential space. There is plenty to take in and absorb when meandering through the 22,000-square-foot, multi-level heritage space, which was formerly home to Chintz and Co. The centre features sprawling, labyrinthine interiors that hold a comprehensive collection of non-digital delights carefully curated and handpicked by Wu and others. Designed by leading architects at Casper Mueller Kneer, the retail/gallery space brings together the best of the best, according to Wu, including a treasure trove of renowned brands, artists, architects and luxury concepts all showcased in a highly conceptualized environment. Walls are polished aluminum, décor is as artistic as functional and the lower bowels consist entirely of dedicated gathering areas, including seminar rooms, an office strictly for children, a photography studio and a theatre room.
Hear Fred Mondays 8:20am on CBC Radio’s The Early Edition AM690 and 88.1FM; Email: [email protected]; Twitter: @FredAboutTown
