I’ve always liked the adage “Keep calm and carry on”. But “Never give up”, to me, has more resonance. And the latter is the mantra of the Wood’s Homes Foundation. It’s 2016 Never Give Up Gala!, held Sept 10 at the Hyatt, was an SRO success (the gala was one of the rare sold-out events seen recently) and was attended by 450 guests. Wood’s Homes offers almost 40 programs for children and families-all with preventative strategies to offer tools, teach resilience and help manage all aspects of mental health.
Highlights of the gala were numerous -not the least of which was an heartfelt speech by Claire Parker, a mother of two boys- Jake and Drew Rempel- who came to Wood’s Homes Whole Family Treatment Program through the Community Resource Team, a 24/7 crisis counselling service. Her family’s story of struggle and courage drew a standing ovation. Whole Family Treatment is unique because the entire family participates in treatment over 3-5 days, or a series of weekends. The program, a one-of-a-kind in Canada, focuses on crisis intervention and prevention. Other highlights included: emcee James Cunningham-stand up comedian and host of Food Network Canada’s and Cooking Channel US’s Eat St.; cocktail and dinner music provided by Pierce Clarke; Calgary singer Georgia’s performance; dancing until the wee hours to the Dino Martinis; and terrific live and silent auction items and raffles. And here I must salute WestJet on increasing it’s generous support by adding in two additional flights anywhere WestJet flies during the live auction. WestJet has been an invaluable supporter of Wood’s Homes for many years. Other salutations go out to: gala co-chairs Ellie Smith and Kata Acheson; Be Innovative sponsors Becker, Cheng and Charbonneau and RBC; Be Enriched sponsor TD; Be Determined sponsors Imperial and Peter the Plantman; Be Tenacious sponsors Birchcliff Energy and Surge Energy; and Be Persistent sponsor Sun Life Financial.
Others in attendance at the gala included: Robert Hayes, Wood’s Homes Foundation board chair; Dan Dunlop, Wood’s Homes Society board chair; Wood’s Homes CEO Dr. Jane Matheson; The Calgary Foundation’s Emily Nachtigall and Darlene Chrapko; RBC Wealth Management’s Kevin Zimmel, Gwen Becker, Al Block, Kent Parlee and Mike Macoun; Wood’s Homes Foundation executive director Peter Wittig; Oliver Capital Partners founder and president Margot Micallef; RGO’s John Sabotka; Walton International Group’s Kate Kaminski; legendary artist Jason Gogo; WestJet’s Richard Bartrem; Safeway/Sobeys Renee Hopfner; TD’s Glen Dawson, Tracey Schmitz and Jon Cornish; Wood’s Homes’ Sylvia MacIver and Karen Karpuk; Carrie Clarke and Finlay Brodylo; and Rob and Wendy Voelk, winning bidders on “Up the East Coast” trip to PEI.
The Wood’s Homes Foundation Never Give Up Galal held Sept 10 at the Hyatt was an SRO success and raised roughly $150,000 for the invaluable organization. Picture are foundation chairman Robert Hayes (left) and Society chairman Dan Dunlop.
Among those in attendance at The Wood’s Homes Foundation Never Give Up Gala held Sept 10 at the Hyatt were Wood’s CEO Dr. Jane Matheson and legendary Calgary Stampeders alumni Jon Cornish who is now with TD.
The Wood’s Homes Foundation Never Give Up Gala held Sept 10 at the Hyatt was an enormous success thanks in large part to sponsorship from TD. Pictured, from left, are gala emcee this night James Cunningham with TD’s Jon Cornish, Tracey Schmitz and Glen Dawson.
The Calgary Foundation’s Emily Nachtigall (left) and Darlene Chrapko were among the 450 guests in attendance at the SRO Wood’s Homes Foundation Never Give Up Gala held Sept 10 at the Hyatt.
The Wood’s Homes Foundation Never Give Up Gala held Sept 10 at the Hyatt was an enormous success thanks in part from RBC Wealth Management sponsorship. Pictured, from left are RBC’s Kevin Zimmel,Gwen Becker, Al Block and Mike Macoun.
Pictured, from left, at The Wood’s Homes Foundation Never Give Up Gala held Sept 10 at the Hyatt are Foundation executive director Peter Witting, Oliver Capital Partners founder and president Margot Micallef and RBC Wealth Management vice-president Kent Parlee.
Pictured, from left, at The Wood’s Homes Foundation Never Give Up Gala held Sept 10 at the Hyatt are RGO’s John Sabotka, Walton International’s Kate Kaminsky and legendary artist Jason Gogo.
All smiles at The Wood’s Homes Foundation Never Give Up Gala held Sept 10 at the Hyatt are Wood’s Homes’ Sylvia MacIver(left) and Karen Karpuk. The event was an SRO success and was attended by 450 guests.
WestJet’s Richard Bartrem and Safeway/Sobeys Renee Hopfner were among the 450 guests in attendance at The Wood’s Homes Foundation Never Give Up Gala held Sept 10 at the Hyatt.
