CODE 2010 Read Africa Ball a Big Hit!
December 14, 2010
The first ever CODE Read Africa Ball took place on Friday December 10th at the Rosehill Lounge in Toronto and was considered a huge success by its organizers. The event was presented by Barrick Gold Corporation, a leading global mining company that has supported CODE’s work in Africa - specifically Tanzania.
The event Chair Lynn Beauregard and Co-Chair Shaenie Colterjohn were delighted with the wonderful turnout, considering the planning got under way less than three months ago. Toronto’s finest came out to be a part of this inaugural event and the funds raised through a combination of ticket sales, a silent auction and a raffle for a trip for two to Africa, were a brilliant accomplishment for a first time event, and will go directly to support CODE’s programs, currently in 12 countries in Africa.
More importantly for Lynn Beauregard, who is also Vice-Chair of the CODE Board, this event was meant to also raise the level of awareness for CODE in Canada. This had been a personal goal since she joined its board in 2007, and she felt that once the word was out about the incredible work that this Canadian organization has been doing over the years, it would take little time to convert party goers into ardent followers and donors. This was mission accomplished as far as the organizing committee was concerned, as everyone seemed enthralled with the organization, the slide show depicting widely smiling African children in schools, reading and playing, the touching remarks of Willy Rangira (Program Manager).
To start the evening off, Daniel et Daniel Catering provided an exotic assortment of hors d’oeuvres to warm and sate appetites as cocktails were sipped and the silent auction bids started to heat up for items such as Fairmont hotel stays, ski weekends in Blue Mountain and Collingwood, a PEI getaway, an iPad, a selection of unique West African artifacts, colorful jewelry created by children in a Ugandan orphanage, Leaf/Hab game tickets and a great deal more…
The band, Elage Diouf, a Senegalese West African ensemble who have taken the Montreal music industry by storm, just returning from a tour with the Cirque du Soleil in the Middle East, took the party up a notch and kept the crowd rapt with their African rythms, their djembe drumming, their unique beats and sound, as well as impromptu traditional African dance outbreaks which left everyone demanding more.
CODE (formerly known as the Canadian Organization for Development through Education) is a UNESCO award-winning NGO that has been working in the developing world for over fifty years- providing millions of books to children every year, supporting teacher and librarian training, and creating special writing and illustration workshops that help nurture local and culturally relevant mother-tongue book publishing.
CODE believes that when a child can read and write, they can learn anything, and promote change for themselves, their community, and their country.To find out more about CODE, please visit: www.codecan.org
Some pictures from the event by Steve Blackburn/YYZEvents:
In attendance at the 2010 event:
Lynn Beauregard, Chair Read Africa Ball,
Vice Chair, Code Board of Directors
President, T.O Corporate Services, Toronto
Shaenie Colterjohn, Co-Chair Read Africa Ball
Manager, Business Development
Canadian Geographic, Toronto
Nancy J. White, Presenting Sponsor, Read Africa Ball
Director of Communications, Responsible Mining
Barrick Gold Corporation, Toronto
Judy Hauserman, Chair, CODE Board of Directors
Vice President, Employee Relations, HR Policy & Governance
CIBC Human Resources, Toronto
Norton Campbell
Director, CODE Board and CODE Inc. Board
President
N.C. Campbell & Assoc., Toronto
Colin McNairn
Honorary Counsel for CODE, Toronto
Adele Imrie CA
Vice Chair and Treasurer, CODE Foundation Board
Vice President Finance
Forum Equity Partners Inc., Toronto
Willy Rangira
Program Manager - Gestionnaire de programmes
CODE, Ottawa
Tony Giampietro, CFRE
Director, Fund Development
CODE, Ottawa
