Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada Gala 2014 – “London Calling”

Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada Gala- “London Calling” at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel

The Queen and Prince Philip greeted me at the Buckingham Palace gates as I arrived at the nineteenth Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada Gala– “London Calling”, sponsored by Toys”R”Us and Babies”R” Us Canada.
(photo: George Pimentel)

This red carpet event celebrating the best of Britain saw the likes Aliya-Jasmine Sovani from MTV Canada, Hilary Farr from HGTV’s “Love It Or List It”, supermodel Stacey McKenzie, actress Tara Spencer-Nairn from CTV’s “The Listener”, John Chiles and Jonathan Hood from the Toronto Argonauts and 2014 JUNO nominated musician Melanie Durrant, just to name a few. 

With a glass of champagne in hand, we entered the reception room where we tasted duck rolls with hoisin sauce, “bangers” on a stick, samosas with a tamarind chutney and quail eggs on toast.

The silent auction items on display also had an English theme: a large London style phone booth wine rack, a “pocket watch” style wall clock, a Rolling Stones collector frame, a “Keep Calm and Drink Wine” collector frame for storing corks, and a Mini Cooper week-end experience.

The Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada helps kids and families around the world achieve a healthier life by partnering up with experts, with more than 1,750 pediatric hospitals and healthcare facilities in Canada, Australia, Israel, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom, serving millions of children every year. The Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada offers a number of “in hospital” and “out if hospital” programs to provide laughter and joy at a time when children need it most.

Down the hall, past the live artist in Covent Garden, in the swinging sixties room, Austin Power was seen carousing with go-go dancers in cages and volunteers in Afros and polyester jumpsuits. The evening entertainment included WANNABE, a Spice Girls tribute band and was hosted by award winning comedian Carla Collins. Over $500,000 was raised at the “London Calling” event for the Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada through donations from sponsors, supporters and attendees.