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Source: http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Content...ol=969483202845
A Jamaican toast to better health
<u>The First Annual Jamaican Charity Ball at the Donalda Club Friday raised more than $15,000 for badly needed equipment at two island hospitals.</u> Photos by Aaron Lynett
Sep. 18, 2006. 01:00 AM
CHRISTIAN COTRONEO
Anne-Marie Bonner is getting downright comfortable as Jamaica's consul-general to Toronto. "Having a good time?" she asked, as she slipped from one guest to another. "I hope you're going to hit the dance floor later."
The effervescent host wasn't afraid to lead by example, taking to the dance floor in coppery-silk shimmer of a dress Friday.
The First Annual Jamaican Charity Ball played like a high-flying house party, with everyone from deputy police chiefs to Order of Canada recipients to pioneering newspaper publishers converging on the Donalda Club in Don Mills.
But in the end, it wasn't so much who was seen at the ball — but who was heard.
"Do I hear $1,000?" asked the night's auctioneer, Gail Scala, ratcheting up the bids on a resort vacation. "$1,500 right here?" she pressed on. "Thank you, sir. Do I hear $2,000?"
A bespectacled older man claimed the trip with a winning bid of $3,000. Or did he? A moment later, the auctioneer announced the prize was back on the table. The man would honour his bid — but as a donation.
"Let's leave it anonymous," he said afterward, demonstrating perhaps the sweetest form of charity.
The inaugural event, organized by Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation, raised more than $15,000 for badly needed medical equipment at two Jamaican hospitals: Port Antonio Hospital and Cornwall Regional Hospital.
The event's success was also a resounding testament to Bonner's popularity in the community since assuming office last April. She's among eight members of the newly minted Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation — and if the nearly 200 people who attended Friday's ball are any indication, the island nation is in good hands.
"It's something I wanted to do," Bonner said of the foundation. "I really didn't expect to do it quite so quickly. I'm looking forward to bigger and better things. I think I'm through the learning curve."
As Michael Van Cooten, publisher and editor of Pride News magazine, noted, Toronto's Jamaican community faces a barrage of charitable appeals. Yet, the desire to help never flags.
"It's quite impressive," Van Cooten added, "To see the amount of people who would come out to a $175 dinner to support the organization."
"You feel a responsibility to help those back home."
The night was a testament to more than the Jamaican community's far-reaching compassion, observed former human rights commissioner Bromley Armstrong. "This is very important to us. It brings out the real Jamaican community."
Armstrong, a civil rights dynamo and the first Jamaican-Canadian to earn the Order of Canada, may be pushing 81, but he's still pushing. "I will continue to fight as long as I have a breath in my body," he said. "To change the things that are not right.
Before supping on jerk chicken, rice and peas and plantain, guests were treated to Jamaican patties and dollops of Appleton rum. Guests later swarmed the dance floor, where a white-haired man in a white suit did what white-haired men in white suits so often do after dinner — he cut his own groove on the dance floor.
Denise Jones slipped effortlessly from event emcee to performer, as she joined the Jay Douglas All-Stars on stage.
"This is such a fabulous opportunity," said the president of Jones & Jones Productions, an event planning company. "All we want to do is raise money and do wonderful things in Jamaica."
She wasn't the only one.
The club swelled with good intentions, as more than one non-profit group intersected.
Daniella Bianchi and Nadia Taylor of Orbis Canada were talking about building yet another bridge to Jamaica.
The charitable organization is aiming to bring eye care services to the Bustamante Hospital for Children in Kingston, Jamaica and hosting their own charity Eye Ball on Oct. 28 to raise support. Dan McDonald, deputy chief with Peel Regional Police and Steve Asanin, executive to the chief, met the consul general this summer at the Race Against Racism. Hosted by Peel police, the event raises awareness — and funds — to fight racism.
McDonald and Asanin thought they would return the favour Friday.They were among the few who left a little early — around 10 p.m. The remaining guests revelled well into the night.
And for a little while, the sprawling estate house perched on meticulously manicured grounds, didn't seem so far from Jamaica after all.
Additional articles by Christian Cotroneo
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Source: http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Content...ol=969483202845
A Jamaican toast to better health
<u>The First Annual Jamaican Charity Ball at the Donalda Club Friday raised more than $15,000 for badly needed equipment at two island hospitals.</u> Photos by Aaron Lynett
Sep. 18, 2006. 01:00 AM
CHRISTIAN COTRONEO
Anne-Marie Bonner is getting downright comfortable as Jamaica's consul-general to Toronto. "Having a good time?" she asked, as she slipped from one guest to another. "I hope you're going to hit the dance floor later."
The effervescent host wasn't afraid to lead by example, taking to the dance floor in coppery-silk shimmer of a dress Friday.
The First Annual Jamaican Charity Ball played like a high-flying house party, with everyone from deputy police chiefs to Order of Canada recipients to pioneering newspaper publishers converging on the Donalda Club in Don Mills.
But in the end, it wasn't so much who was seen at the ball — but who was heard.
"Do I hear $1,000?" asked the night's auctioneer, Gail Scala, ratcheting up the bids on a resort vacation. "$1,500 right here?" she pressed on. "Thank you, sir. Do I hear $2,000?"
A bespectacled older man claimed the trip with a winning bid of $3,000. Or did he? A moment later, the auctioneer announced the prize was back on the table. The man would honour his bid — but as a donation.
"Let's leave it anonymous," he said afterward, demonstrating perhaps the sweetest form of charity.
The inaugural event, organized by Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation, raised more than $15,000 for badly needed medical equipment at two Jamaican hospitals: Port Antonio Hospital and Cornwall Regional Hospital.
The event's success was also a resounding testament to Bonner's popularity in the community since assuming office last April. She's among eight members of the newly minted Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation — and if the nearly 200 people who attended Friday's ball are any indication, the island nation is in good hands.
"It's something I wanted to do," Bonner said of the foundation. "I really didn't expect to do it quite so quickly. I'm looking forward to bigger and better things. I think I'm through the learning curve."
As Michael Van Cooten, publisher and editor of Pride News magazine, noted, Toronto's Jamaican community faces a barrage of charitable appeals. Yet, the desire to help never flags.
"It's quite impressive," Van Cooten added, "To see the amount of people who would come out to a $175 dinner to support the organization."
"You feel a responsibility to help those back home."
The night was a testament to more than the Jamaican community's far-reaching compassion, observed former human rights commissioner Bromley Armstrong. "This is very important to us. It brings out the real Jamaican community."
Armstrong, a civil rights dynamo and the first Jamaican-Canadian to earn the Order of Canada, may be pushing 81, but he's still pushing. "I will continue to fight as long as I have a breath in my body," he said. "To change the things that are not right.
Before supping on jerk chicken, rice and peas and plantain, guests were treated to Jamaican patties and dollops of Appleton rum. Guests later swarmed the dance floor, where a white-haired man in a white suit did what white-haired men in white suits so often do after dinner — he cut his own groove on the dance floor.
Denise Jones slipped effortlessly from event emcee to performer, as she joined the Jay Douglas All-Stars on stage.
"This is such a fabulous opportunity," said the president of Jones & Jones Productions, an event planning company. "All we want to do is raise money and do wonderful things in Jamaica."
She wasn't the only one.
The club swelled with good intentions, as more than one non-profit group intersected.
Daniella Bianchi and Nadia Taylor of Orbis Canada were talking about building yet another bridge to Jamaica.
The charitable organization is aiming to bring eye care services to the Bustamante Hospital for Children in Kingston, Jamaica and hosting their own charity Eye Ball on Oct. 28 to raise support. Dan McDonald, deputy chief with Peel Regional Police and Steve Asanin, executive to the chief, met the consul general this summer at the Race Against Racism. Hosted by Peel police, the event raises awareness — and funds — to fight racism.
McDonald and Asanin thought they would return the favour Friday.They were among the few who left a little early — around 10 p.m. The remaining guests revelled well into the night.
And for a little while, the sprawling estate house perched on meticulously manicured grounds, didn't seem so far from Jamaica after all.
Additional articles by Christian Cotroneo
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