Life for Luke Foundation

Magnificent seafood antipasto bar

Key tag draw where everyone is a winner

Table setting

We are proud to announce the success of our 2nd Annual Life for Luke and Silent Auction Dinner Dance Gala. This year the funds were raised in support of The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation and the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation. The Gala held at the IL Cavaliere Banquet Hall for the second consecutive year attracted family, friends and corporate sponsors numbering over 370 strong.

From the time one stepped through the doors at the Gala there were plenty of things to see and do.

This year we held a key tag draw in which EVERY key tag was guaranteed a prize. Among the prizes available to be won was a trip to Florida for one, 5000 Air Miles, DVD player, sports tickets a BBQ, watches, gift certificates and much much more. If that was not enough, plenty of door prizes were handed out throughout the evening.

The incredible generosity and support from individuals and corporations again this year, enabled us to have an overwhelming variety of silent auction items to offer. Items in the auction varied from sports memorabilia to weekend getaways to spa packages to collector Barbie dolls and even a kitchen sink! This year's silent auction of almost 300 items generated over $25,000 in proceeds.

A new item added to this year's festivities was a live auction. The main item that generated a lot of interest was the "BIG CHEESE". The large contingent of Italian Canadians at the Gala pushed the price of the wheel of Reggiano Parmisano cheese to $1,200.

Again this year, anyone that wanted could have their caricature drawn as a memento of the evening.

This year's event also included a live performance from Kim Doron (Luke's speech pathologist) which consisted of three songs including one from her own CD.

With everything going on it was surprising that there was time for the fabulous seafood antipasto bar and the 5 course Italian style dinner.

As a way of informing our guests and simultaneously recognizing our sponsors Jim Nagata one of our committee members produced a programme in which we sold advertising space. In addition the sponsors' names were displayed throughout the evening on a continuous slide show in the banquet hall. An informative 4 minute tape of Luke's story that aired on CBC's Health Matters was played on the large screen.

In addition to the Dinner Gala, Lucy, Enio and the Gala Committee have worked throughout the year to raise as much as possible in a variety of ways. We sold Regal catalogue products, with a percentage of the proceeds going to the Foundations. One of the parents at Luke's school donated a portion of her "Tupperware" sales and The St. Gabriel of the Archangel Catholic School which Luke attends, sold cookbooks and Christmas candy grams. The Committee this year sold 1250 boxes of chocolates for the cause. Enio has himself tirelessly raised thousands of dollars in hockey pools, lottery bingo, football survivor pools and raffles for Toronto Maple Leaf and Toronto Raptors Tickets.

With the proceeds from the 2nd Annual Life for Luke Dinner Gall and the other initiatives throughout the year, we are pleased to announce that this year we have raised over $83,000 towards research in finding a cure for Nieman-Pick Type C and other genetic diseases.

Silent auction sports memorabilia!

Live action item donated by Ruffolo Painting & Decorating

Some of the over 200 silent auction items

The Fantastic Committee!

The guest of honour arriving to start off the festivities

Thank you from us personally to all that donated or helped with the event.