All posts tagged with: Fundraiser

Event producer, Tom Whitman, has been putting together high-energy parties across the United States for over a decade. But it’s his philanthropic actions, which have earned him the 2012 LA Pride Berman Schaffer Service Award.

As a producer and entrepreneur, Tom has put together some amazing events in the LGBT community, including ones for HRC, GLAAD, LA Gay & Lesbian Center and LA Pride’s 2012 Community Grand Marshall, The Trevor Project.

One of Tom’s recent initiatives was The Gang of 100; an informal group of friends, 100-people strong, that used their social connections to raise funds for a number of Los Angeles not-for-profit organizations. 100% of the funds raised goes directly to the benefit organizations. Over the past five years, The Gang of 100 has raised $700,000 for The Trevor Project, The Point Foundation and AIDS Project Los Angeles.

For the past five years Tom has served as the Chair of APLA’s Board of Directors. It’s his dedication, influence and philanthropic attitude which has earned him the Berman Schaffer Service Award.

Every Sunday, as if by clockwork, Vancouverites head to their favourite brunch spots with their group of friends to catch up on the weeks events and the tales from Saturday nights adventures out on the town. This Sunday, April 29, mix it up a bit. Executive Chef Brad Hendrickson at Ensemble Tap Restaurant will host a brunch party fundraiser to support Vancouver’s queer community resource centre, Qmunity.

Chef Hendrickson’s brunch menu includes a choice of three signature brunch entrees, fresh-squeezed Momosa, and coffee. Entertainment will include the Burlesque Beauties Drag Queens.

Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased online.  There are only 130 tickets available. 25% of event proceeds plus $1 per drink special sold tickets will go to Qmunity.

According to the BC Cancer Foundation, an estimated 48% of all cancers diagnosed in British Columbia are below the waist, and are responsible for approximately 40% of cancer deaths in the province.

On Saturday, July 7, 2012, hundreds of men and women will participate in a 10km run or 5km walk in the hottest race in Vancouver to raise funds and awareness for cancers below the waist, the 6^th Annual Underwear Affair.

This Wednesday, April 18 is Awareness to Down There-ness Day and the BC Cancer Foundation’s Underwear Affair is encouraging people to sign-up to participate in the event and to attend the 2012 kick-off party from 6-9pm at Forum Public House at 1163 Granville Street in downtown Vancouver.

Proceeds from the Underwear Affair will support research into cancers below the belt including prostate, colorectal, ovarian, bladder, cervical, and testicular.

PS… it’s totally cool if you show up in your underwear!

Five perfectly set tables. Five-star chefs preparing three-course dinners. Flowing wine. Gracious hosts. Guess who’s coming for dinner? Well, it could be you if you are quick enough to get tickets to the Growing Chef’s Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner fundraising dinner.

Similar to the 1980’s board game and movie, Clue, the Guess Who’s Coming for Dinner? is a secret dinner featuring private parties hosted in elegant homes prepared by some of Vancouver’s most exciting chefs.

Each intiamate dinner party includes a themed three-course dinner in a top-secret location. At the end of the evening, all the guests from each of the dinner parties will gather together to share their stories and compare notes to determine the three favourite themes of the night.

The Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? is a fundraising event for Growing Chefs!, a not-for-profit organization teaching elementary school children on food and urban agriculture by placing volunteer chefs in school classrooms while leading fun lessons about vegetables, cooking, sustainability, and healthy eating.

The next Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? event will be held on Saturday, April 14, 2012. Tickets are $129 per person. Details can be found online.

Prince Poppycock as Pagliacci on “America‟s Got Talent,” Photo: www.ShawnSmithPhoto.com

This Saturday night will be Vancouver’s chance to see the performer America’s Got Talent judge Piers Morgan said was “becoming my guilty pleasure”.  During his run on Season Five on America’s Got Talent, Prince Poppycock proved he was America’s guilty pleasure too as the foppish, baroque dandy made it all the way to the final four.
Created by singer-songwriter John Quale initially for a single performance of an aria from Figaro, the Prince Poppycock character has taken on a life of his own.  His over the top outfits, wigs and stage pieces have won over audiences around the world.  Beneath the camp exterior there lies Quale’s solid classically trained voice that provides a solid foundation to base the frocks and frills that made Sharon Osborne call him the “male Lady Gaga”.
This coming weekend Prince Poppycock will entertain Vancouver along with a host of other talents at Five-Sixty – Guilty Pleasures is a new bi-annual fundraiser produced by MN events and benefiting 4 local HIV/AIDS organizations. A Loving Spoonful, YouthCO Aids Society, McLaren Housing Society and Positive Living BC.
Tickets are available Tickets available at Priape, www.MNevents.ca and at each beneficiaries office: 20% of each ticket goes to the beneficiaries.

This Saturday, October 23, local businesses in Vancouver will donate a portion of their proceeds for Out in Schools so they can reach even more students this school year. By supporting these businesses you can send an Out in Schools facilitator to rural regions of BC including Nelson, 100 Mile House, Salt Spring Island, First Nations reserves and more. With your support and generosity you can let BC’s Queer youth know that they are not alone. More details here.

Participating businesses:

• La Brasserie
• Canvas Lounge
• Caya Store
• Celebrities Nightclub
• The Corner Suite
• 560 Night Club
• The Fountainhead Pub
• J Lounge
• The Junction
• Mine:Stylesourse
• Munch Restaurant
• Numbers Cabaret
• Pacific Sun Co.
• Pumpjack Pub
• Spruce Body Lab

At 5:30pm, head to Emery Barnes Park at Richards and Davie for Vancouver Vigil for Ending Homophobic Bullying. Thanks to the Vancouver Parks Board and Qmunity, Emery Barnes Park, named after a great civil rights advocate, will be the site for a candle light vigil. Joane-E will be in the park leading the event.

Later that evening, from 7:30 – 11:00pm there is also the Gay-Straight Alliance Night at the West Fraser Ballroom at the Compass Point Hotel, 9860 King George Blvd(Hwy), in Surrey. It’s a free event, however donations are being accepted for Egale and MyGSA. More information here.

Chefs Across the Water, a guest chef series at Hastings House on Salt Spring Island, highlights the bounty of the region’s produce and raises awareness and funds for the  “Save Salt Spring Lamb” fund.

Lamb production on Salt Spring Island has been down 50 per cent over the past five years, due to government regulations requiring all livestock be taken to Vancouver Island or the mainland for slaughter. It’s easier to get Salt Spring Island lamb in Vancouver than on the Island.

Salt Spring livestock producers have received $100,000 grant to go towards a mobile meat processing unit, however they need to match the amount to receive the money.  Partial proceeds from the Chefs Across the Water dinner series will go towards the fund.

“The ‘Save Salt Spring Lamb’ fund is looking to raise $200,000 in the next few months for a mobile unit on Salt Spring,” said Margaret Thompson, Chair of the Salt Spring Livestock Producers Group. “We are hopeful of raising enough money in time and are delighted to partner with Hastings House in their Chefs Across the Water series to draw awareness to this issue.”

The series includes one final event of the season on Monday, October 18, showcasing the talents of Chef Marcel Kauer of Hastings House.

Hastings House Dining room manager Milly Sinclair says there is a lot of excitement building for food-lovers who enjoy local fare prepared by the best chefs in BC.

For more information please visit the Hasting House website and the Chefs Across the Water website. For reservations call 250.537.2362.

Today from 9:00am – noon, the Vancouver Pride Society hosted the Terry Wallace Breakfast at Davie and Bute. Terry Wallace was one of the founders of Vancouver Pride and the pancake breakfast is hosted annual as a fundraiser for the society in his honour. Breakfast was by donation included pancakes, sausages, fruit and coffee. Proceeds from the breakfast goes to support the Pride Festival events. The breakfast is put on by a crew of volunteers and by donations by corporate partners including Safeway.

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