Tickets are now available for the Children’s Foundation 2018 Around the World Gala: Aloha ‘Ohana.
The Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington’s (CFGW) biggest annual celebration, the Around the World Gala, calls together loyal sponsors, donors and community members to celebrate and make change for local children and youth.
Taking its theme inspiration from a different geographical location each year, this year Around the World gets tropical with the Hawaiian theme, Aloha ‘Ohana!
“‘Ohana is a key concept in Hawaiian culture, referring to an extended sense of family including relatives, friends, neighbours and communities,” said Kasia Rusiniak, CFGW events manager.
“In selecting the event name, the committee agreed that it was a perfect reflection of the work the Children’s Foundation does.”
Each year, the annual theme is represented through the evening’s décor, entertainment, cuisine and guests’ outfits.
“Seeing what people show up wearing is one of the exciting parts,” Rusiniak said, “It’s great to see people are willing to embrace the theme and have a bit of fun – we usually see some pretty creative costumes.”
This year’s gala will host two entertainment groups, the local Royal City Ukulele Ensemble, who are already working on their repertoire for the evening, and the renowned Hawaiian Dance Company, who perform traditional, interactive dances in Polynesian dress.
Behind all the fun of the gala, there is a strong call to action.
Around the World is the Children’s Foundation largest grossing event, raising over $160,000 each year.
This year, the committee hopes to bring in $170,000.
“There has been some really exciting growth at the foundation,” said Jackie Ooms, this year’s Gala Committee chair and a member of the CFGW board of directors.
“When more families apply for financial assistance or more students come to school hungry, we become even more focused on providing them the support they need.”
All funds raised at the event work to empower children and youth by providing them with the opportunities they need to build hope for the future and break the cycle of poverty.
Support for this year’s gala is generously provided by local sponsors including Dan Burnham and The Co-operators Insurance, Ceramic Decor, Guelph Manufacturing Group and The Mactaggart Team, Richardson GMP among others.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for local businesses and entrepreneurs wishing to help better the lives of local children and make an incredible impact in the future of our community.
Aloha ‘Ohana takes place at the Delta Guelph Hotel on Oct. 13.
Tickets for the event are $130 and available on the Children’s Foundation website along with further event information. Visit www.childrensfoundation.org for more information.
