What better way to spend a cold Saturday evening then in one of Toronto’s most admired tourist area the CNE, in a building named after Queen Elizabeth; all whilst supporting a great cause
Community Rocks is the way to go! I was honoured to not only be invited to this event but to also be a part of it. I was asked to face paint two front door greeters Nelson and Larry. I couldn’t be more thrilled!
Community Rocks is an event held every 2 years to raise money, awareness and create hype for an outstanding organization that provides services and supports people with intellectual disabilities. They focus on instilling independence, social inclusion and personal choice. They value a society where everyone can reach their full potential, support one another and thrive to fulfill their dreams. There are over 1,200 people who attend this event.
Please take a moment and check out what they do on www.cltoronto.ca . You can also find them on Facebook at Community Living Toronto.
I arrived early to meet Nelson and Larry and do their face paint. If you didn’t already guess, the theme this year was Canadiana.
They were both such great models! They held so still almost like statues.
The event started at 6pm and as I was waiting for my friends and family to arrive I noticed my logo flash across the screens. There it was next to other contributors. It made me very happy.
For those of you who have never been inside the Queen Elizabeth Building it is quite large. It has a massive space and a fairly large theatre concert hall (which we’ll get to in a minute).
Below are some pictures of the ambiance…
My mother is the brain behind the concept/theme. She put together a storyboard and formed the entire atmosphere. She is excellent at doing this! She gets inspired by one thing and it snowballs from there. Sometimes her ideas all come to her at once. I've actually witnessed her running to grab a pen and paper to jot them all down. Her talent of visualizing everything, is not only impeccable, but it also ALWAYS works.
Seventh Heaven is the caterer for this event. They do an exceptional job! Not only does their food tie in with the theme but it is beautifully laid out, delicious and there is LOTS of it!!
Seventh Heaven presents their Canadian dishes…
Alberta Beef with mashed potatoes
Lobster Roll
Mac n’ Cheese
Red Jell-O and candy table
Cupcakes in the shape of the Canada Flag (so amazing!)
Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwiches
Chocolate covered bacon on a stick….ummmm yea
The cheese table…Unfortunately I got to it a little late, so it had been picked through a bit. Can you blame them??
I didn't even get to all that Seventh Heaven had to offer. But I will say this, give them a try at your next event. See their work at www.seventhheaven.ca You will not be disappointed!
Here I am with Ed Spano of Seventh Heaven, he is one of three brothers who own and run the business. I believe that even his parents do their part in the kitchen, it really is a family run business. I have known Ed for a few years now, and I have had the pleasure of watching him work at other events. He is an awesome chef and a great leader! He is always in great spirits and really loves to receive feedback. Ed adds his own twist to traditional meals and is constantly thinking up new ideas. It is with great pleasure to call him a friend.
Krispy Kreme was also there to lend a hand…Thank you Melissa and Keith Stein! They own a franchise and donated 700 donuts!!
Speaking of Krispy Kreme, my cousin Kristen represented the brand quite nicely… how cute is she?!
Once we moved into the concert hall Ben Mulroney was the MC for the evening. He was very charming and held a great stage presence.
Here is Duncan Jackman the Honourary Chair (also my boss) and Mark Johnson the Event Chair saying a few words and thanking all those who have helped raise over $500,000 that evening!
There was a Canadian band called Good Acoustics/Train Reaction that came out and did their thing. They are so talented and cheerful and known for popping up at different subway stations in Toronto, do a gig and put everyone in a good mood. Check them out at www.trainreaction.ca or on their Facebook page.
The show stopper for the night was a Canadian rock band called Trooper. They have been around since the 70’s and have numerous hits. They played in the concert theatre. God, were they ever lively and thrilled to be performing! They had the crowd up and dancing in no time. Ray McGuire (lead vocalist) had a few ‘costume changes’ and I loved what this shirt said. “If you don’t like what you got, why don’t you change it?”
Matt’s parents having a great time!
And us!
After party following the concert featuring Dj Raptor Marc (that’s when the real fun begins). Here is Matt dancing with his Mom.
Selfie with Kristen, my brother Jeff and I
More selfies with my friend Sam (and Anthony photo bombing)
Here’s another with my girl Lina. We've been friends since we were 4 years old!
The boys playing air hockey
My Mom and Duncan. And yes he is very tall!
Me and my familia in plaid (great minds think alike)
Here I am with Angela Bradley she is the Director of Public Relations and Fundraising for Community Living and she is the one in charge and making sure it all comes together. Even under pressure this woman is smiling and laughing. She radiates happiness, it’s obvious she loves what she does and they all just adore her. Angela is the modern day gal with a heart of gold. You Rock Angela!
There was also an amazing art exhibit from Creative Village Studio allowing artists to showcase their abilities and all of their work. It was just beautiful! The table was filled with such colourful pieces I couldn't stop taking photos.
Although something about this one stole my heart...
What kind of event would it be without a photo booth? You really have to be quick on deciding your pose and what prop to use.
This was such a remarkable night and wonderful event. I couldn’t be more honoured to be asked to be a part of it. I am so happy I got to share this experience with my dear friends and loving family!
Thank you for taking the time to read this, please feel free to share this post with your friends and family Canadian or not ;)
Xx,
MJ