West Island Community Shares raises record $214,000 at Red & White Evening, plus a preview of Black History Month events in Montreal

West Island Community Shares Executive Director Caroline Tison, the Red & White Evening organizing committee, and members of the WICS board of directors present the cheque for $214,000 that was raised on January 25.

For West Island Community Shares (WICS), their Annual Red & White Benefit Evening is a January tradition that attracts West Island business and community leaders for an evening of great food, fabulous prizes, and a good time in the warmth of the 40 Westt Steakhouse.

And this year’s 12^th edition of the event is no exception, as more than 300 people gathered to raise a record amount of $214,000, that will go towards the 40 West Island-based community and charity organizations that are under the WICS umbrella, which helps 1 in 5 West Island residents in need every year. The amount will go towards WICS’ 2015-2016 fundraising campaign, which they hope to raise $1.2 million by March 31.

Co-chaired by Susan Handrigan of Scotiabank, Chirfi Guindo of Merck Canada and John & Paul Broccolini of Broccolini Construction, the Red & White Evening treated its guests to a wide array of delicious hors d’oeuvres, endless raw oysters at the restaurant’s rawbar, and a sumptuous four-course dinner. As well, guests got to bid for a large assortment of gifts at the silent auction, from jewellery to fine wines and liqueurs to gift baskets to some unusual items, such as a Keurig coffee machine with 400 assorted K-Cups (pictured on the right) and the chance to fly a prop plane solo for one hour from the St. Hubert Airport (under the qualified supervision of a flying instructor).

As well, the evening included a live auction, where guests got to bid on five unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, including a VIP tour of Trudeau Airport for 12 people (which went for $2,500), an exclusive private home dinner prepared by 40 Westt’s executive chef for 10 people (which sold for $12,000) and a private go-karting lesson for four people with champion NASCAR driver Alex Tagliani, plus his racing helmet (which sold for $5,000); and to promote this racing experience, Tagliani was on hand during the cocktail reception to take selfies with the guests (as he did with me, pictured below).

This year’s Red & White Evening had a sort of bittersweet feeling to it, as it was the last one presided by WICS’ longtime Executive Director Caroline Tison, who will be stepping down from her post following the conclusion of the fundraising campaign this spring. I have known Ms. Tison since I started covering WICS events six years ago, and she is known for her hard work and dedication to the goals of WICS, and her friendly, personable approach to everyone she meets, whether they be a donor, business leader, a member of the media, or the people from the organizations that benefit from WICS’ efforts. She is one the main reasons why West Island Community Shares has been such a respectable model of what a community organization should be like.

For more information about what West Island Community Shares is all about, go to www.partageaction.ca.

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February is Black History Month, and this year marks 25 years that this celebration of the achievements of Montreal’s Black community in particular and the global Black community in general will take place with over 150 cultural and social activities throughout the city.

The theme for this year’s edition of Black History Month is “Rise and Shine”, and will be represented by three prominent spokespeople: veteran singer Ranee Lee, comedian Eddy King and hip-hop artist and anti-racism activist Webster.

Highlights for the silver anniversary edition of Black History Month in Montreal include: An exhibition at the Salle Georges-Emile-Lapalme of Place des Arts called “Black Muses”, which will celebrate 12 inspiring women singers who made their mark in the world of Canadian music (Feb. 5-28); the annual Monnaie Money Talent Show at the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall (Feb. 27); the launch of the book Words and Poems by Doudou Boicel, who owned and operated the legendary St. Catherine Street nightclub Doudou’s Rising Sun (Feb. 4); a live celebration of Black women’s hair with the Eccentric Tribal Fashion Hair Show (Feb. 25); a screening of the film “Honour Before Glory”, which recounts the story of the first Canadian all-Black military battalion which was formed during World War I (Feb. 7); and the Croisee des Bossales Ball, a formal ball and international epicurean event that will take place at the Theatre St. James on February 13.

For more information on these and the other events that will be part of the 25^th edition of Black History Month in Montreal, go to www.moisehistoiredesnoirs.com.