Toronto Uncovered

Posts Tagged ‘Fundraiser’

I feel like this post is coming a little bit late for an event that was held on Friday.  To be honest, I needed a few days to fully recover after the madness that was SpinTO.  SpinTO, for those who have been living under a rock (or haven’t checked your Twitter feed in a few weeks), was a kick-off party celebrating the Friends for Life Bike Rally from Toronto to Montreal in support of the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation.

Similar to events like HoHoTo and Twestival Toronto, SpinTO leveraged the strength and goodwill of Toronto’s social media community to market itself, attract sponsors, and increase attendance. In addition to the social media crowd, there was significant representation from Toronto’s gay and cycle communities, making for a very interesting mix.  Organizers, Mark Kuznicki and Adam Schwabe did a great job of making sure there was something for everyone.

Bikes were set up at the outdoor entrance of the Mod Club for friends and foes to spin-off against one another. The races were timed, and the winners  were rewarded with their time stickers and bragging rights.  Having always wondered what it would be like to spin in three inch heals after downing a few drinks, I challenged my best friend to a race.  Once I  finished celebrating my three second victory (which admittedly lasted a little longer than three seconds) I moved back inside to check out the silent auction and mingle with the Midas men sprinkled throughout the crowd.

In my opinion, music and entertainment are always the most important part of any event or soiree. The stage performances, which could easily have been interpreted as strip performances, were hilarious and got the crowd cheering for more.  In between acts, tracks spun by Duarte Da Silva aka @modernmod (fully adorned in cycle gear) kept us moving on our feet. In my books, any night that begins and ends with full fledged dance-offs between my friends and members of the gay community is a total success. Those gay guys really give you a run for your money!

As noted on the SpinTO website, the event was a huge success, raising over 15,000 dollars. Once again, it goes to show that the people of Toronto have big hearts and are willing to step it up for a good cause.  On any given weekend there is a strong likelihood that many of us will be out enjoying the many parties and bars Toronto has to offer. We might as well be doing good at the same time.

For more pictures and videos of Friday night’s craziness click here.

If you know of any great fundraisers coming up let me know, I am usually interested in checking out these types of events!

Aaahh Spring! A season that promises chirping birds, blooming flowers, and infusions of warmth and sun. It is also a season full of events, functions, and parties. A time when Torontonians can start to shed their Winter doldrums, heavy jackets, and hibernation modes.

I kicked off my Spring season Friday night at the 6th Annual Journalists for Human Rights Fundraiser, hosted at the Berkeley Church. I’m not sure what it is that makes me love this venue so much. There’s just something exciting about partying in a place of worship, even if it is for a good cause.

I arrived around 10:30 just as the upper and lower levels were starting to fill up. By 11:30 the party was in full swing, both main levels were packed and the entertainment was taking to the stage.  Between trips to the open bar, I watched performances by African drummers and an interpretive dance group called Crazyfish Collective,  and bid on any silent auction items that caught my eye.

Eventually I  made my way down to the lower (basement) level of the church, where I happily stumbled upon a hidden room of food – fried plantains and other delicious finger foods if my memory serves me correctly. One suggestion to the organizers: make the food more accessible and visible, especially with an open bar.

Overall, the event was very successful, raising a total of $30,000 for the  human rights movement.  At $60.00 per ticket, you definitely got your money’s worth and left feeling warm and fuzzy for contributing to a good cause (and not just the bottom line of some downtown bar/club).