Holland Bloorview Foundation hosts an Evening of Possibility and raises $500,000 for kids with disabilities

November 24, 2011 - TORONTO, ON – On November 21st, more than 250 of Toronto's business and community leaders gathered for a sumptuous five course dinner, prepared by six of Canada's finest chefs. The event raised more than $500,000 for Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation. Since 2007, Holland Bloorview's An Evening of Possibility has raised more than $2.2 million to help transform the lives of kids with disabilities.

Culinary Director Armando Mano, co-owner of Centro Restaurant and Lounge, put together an impressive lineup of celebrity chefs that included: Chef Claudio Aprile of Colborne Lane & Origin; Chef Jason Carter of Centro Restaurant and Lounge; Chef Dustin Gallagher of Grace Restaurant; Chef Andrea Mastrandrea of Biscotteria Mastrandrea; Chef Frank Parhizgar of Frank's Kitchen; and Chef Marc Thuet of Conviction Kitchen TV Show and Petite Thuet.

"This year's An Evening of Possibility was our most successful to date," said Valerie McMurtry, President and CEO of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation. "We are grateful to the chefs, our corporate partners, and generous dinner guests for helping to create a world without limits for kids with disabilities."

Fundraising activities during the evening helped Holland Bloorview surpass both the $400,000 raised in 2010 and this year's $460,000 fundraising goal.

Lead sponsors, Keith Pelley, President of Rogers Media, and John Doig, Senior Vice-President of Scotiabank, Toronto Region, co-chaired the evening with Breakfast Television's Kevin Frankish as emcee. The evening also featured a moving keynote address by Jodi Frers, whose nine-year-old son, Jack, made a remarkable recovery from brain surgery in just six weeks because of the care he received at Holland Bloorview.

Eric Wan, musician and an engineer Masters student, and Pierre Duez, a software developer, both of Bloorview Research Institute, provided guests with a sneak preview of Eric's November 22nd performance with the Montreal Chamber Orchestra. Wan and Duez played the Virtual Musical Instrument® that they helped to develop.

The Virtual Musical Instrument® is a computer program that enables almost anyone to make music, including people with complex disabilities, like Wan who is paralyzed from the shoulders down. Renowned Canadian violinist, Adrian Anantawan, joined Wan for the Montreal performance. Born without a right hand, Anantawan is an advocate of adaptive arts and a proud Holland Bloorview Ambassador.

Funds raised will support Holland Bloorview's No Limits, the Campaign for Childhood Disability. The campaign's goal is to raise $80 million. Funds raised from An Evening of Possibility has edged the total raised to date close to $47 million.For more information on An Evening of Possibility, please visit the website.

About Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation raises funds in the community for Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. Holland Bloorview is Canada's largest children's rehabilitation hospital. The hospital pioneers treatments, technologies, therapies and real-world programs that give children with disabilities the tools to participate fully in life. For more information, please visit: www.hollandbloorviewfoundation.ca