Dragon Ball 2016 Gala for Yee Hong Community Wellness Foundation

Dragon Ball 2016 – A Fundraising Gala in Support of The Yee Hong Community Wellness Foundation

Celebrating the Chinese New Year at the year’s most anticipated fundraising gala among the Chinese community, Dragon Ball 2016, was Guest of Honour, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with other high-profile politicians, businessmen, and community leaders.

(scroll to the bottom for full gallery)

All were there to support and give back to the Yee Hong Community by raising funds for the Yee Hong Community Wellness Foundation, a non-profit organization, which had formed personal connections with many of the attendees. “Yee Hong has a special place in my heart,” said Ms. Betsey Chung, Chair of the 27th Dragon Ball and Chief Marketing Officer of Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking and Wealth Management Canadian at BMO Financial Group.

“My grandmother stayed at Yee Hong’s very first senior centre in Scarborough twenty years ago, and I have witnessed first-hand the incredible care, amazing facilities and countless benefits our seniors receive from Yee Hong’s outstanding accommodations,” Chung added.

Also speaking at the gala was Dr. Joseph Wong, Chair of Yee Hong Community Wellness Foundation and founder of Yee Hong, who pointed out how senior service providers are now facing extremely challenging situations as our population continues to age. “Everyday, people are forced to choose between caring for a loved one and pursuing a career,” I guess, this applies especially to a community that always puts business before anything else.
Wong thanked all the supporters, including the presenting and founding sponsor BMO Financial Group, the donors, the staff & volunteers for another year of great success.

Among the audience were VIPs Hazel McCallion (former Mayor of Mississauga), Senator Nancy Ruth, John McCallum (Minister of Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship), Patrick Brown (leader of the Ontario PC Caucus), Xue Bing (Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Toronto), Ms. Anrdrea Horwath (leader of the New Democratic Party of Ontario), and Ms. Kathy Chan (Director of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Toronto).

Dragon Ball 2016’s broad array of food offerings did not disappoint. After all, CNY is all about stuffing one’s self and most importantly, not letting the guests leave hungry. Classic Chinese dim sum by Crown Jewel, bento-box style sushi by Katsura and Spoon & Fork, and Japanese & Southeast Asian street food by Gushi, Linda Modern Thai and Carmen’s Steakhouse were washed down with traditional Taiwanese bubble tea provided by Cha-time. The Macallan was also on site to offer a tasting of its Rare Cask to the whiskey drinkers.

Auction items like Air Canada’s system-wide business class tickets; getaways to Bordeaux with Air France, Hermes handbags, Chinese tea sets and various wines were available for bid in the silent auction room.

Each year, the Dragon Ball raises approximately one million dollars to support Yee Hong’s mission of providing a continuum of linguistically and culturally appropriate care to Chinese seniors as well as appropriate long-term care services to seniors with other cultural backgrounds within the capacity of the centres.

Home support services, day care & caregiver education programs are also available for seniors at home or for families of patients who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, according to Stephen Siu, President of the Yee Hong Community Wellness Foundation.

(photos by Terrence)

Dragon Ball 2016 – A Fundraising Gala in Support of The Yee Hong Community Wellness Foundation