A Good Night for Us, A Better Night for the Women of Nepal

Attendees checking out the silent auction

Each year, WELNepal organizes an intimate benefit bash (with the help of good friend and great supporter Monica McKenna) to raise some money for the women we help educate. This year — our 11^th year, to be exact — was exceptional for a few reasons.

Firstly, we welcomed more guests than ever before, making the bash a little less intimate but a whole lot more fun. We hosted the bash at the Liberty Village hotspot The Academy of Spherical arts, and were pleased to see 120 guests crowd the elegant and spacious venue.

Secondly, our new venue got outstanding reviews from attendees. Many praised the ambience, tables and chairs (no one had to juggle a plate and drink while perusing the auction items), delicious buffet-style food and pool tables.

Tribe MayaFire 

Thirdly, we were once again blessed to experience wonderful performances by local artists. Canadian actor Barry Flatman hosted the festivities with ease and charm, and musical acts HoboWally, !DO! and Mother Tongue gave wonderful performances that had people dancing and swaying long after the silent auction closed. Belly dance troupe Tribe MayaFire mixed traditional Middle Eastern tunes with top 40 hits to create a fun and memorable dance routine that drew enthusiastic applause.

More auction enthusiasts

Our auction items, ranging from traditional Nepali art to musical instruments to original art, excited the crowd and drew some competitive bids. 

On behalf of the Nepali women who will now have the chance to begin or continue their education because of your generosity, we thank you very, very much. Every donation, large or small, can make the difference in the life of a woman in our project area.

To all who attended – thank you, and see you next year! 

WELNepal’s Annual Benefit Bash is Coming!

 Who/What: WELNepal’s 11^th Annual Benefit Bash

When: Friday, Sept. 21 2012 at 7:30 pm

Where: The Academy of Spherical Arts - Toronto

How: With a recommended minimum donation of $40, a night of music, dancing, dining and auctioning is in store for you!

The Academy of Spherical Arts
1 Snooker Street
Toronto

Fall is an exciting time. It might herald the unfortunate ending of long, hot summer days, but it promises Thanksgiving dinners, colourful leaves and, if you like candy and children, Halloween. It’s also special to us WELNepalians because it’s the season of our annual benefit bash.

The bash, co-hosted by WELNepal’s dear friend Monica McKenna (a Toronto photographer who used to kindly lend us her home and studio until the crowd grew too big to comfortably accommodate) is now into its 11^th year. Each fall, we’ve seen the benefit grow bigger and bigger, generating more donations for our work and alerting more people to the plight of illiterate women in Nepal. 

The bash, which will be held in Liberty Village hotspot The Academy of Spherical Arts, has always served two major purposes. It raises awareness, and it celebrates the support and contributions of our friends, family and generous donors. We aim to provide guests with a memorable night of live entertainment, exceptional food, a great silent auction and, most of all, a chance to see the difference their donations make for the women we help educate.

To add some star quality, Canadian actor Barry Flatman (ReGenesis, The Kennedys) will be hosting this year’s festivities.

On the musical side of things, we’re pleased to announce Juno-nominated musical group Mother Tongue will be performing at the bash. We’re also excited to welcome drum and organ duo !DO!. And, back by popular demand, the beautiful and talented ladies of belly dance troupe Tribe Maya Fire are set to perform.  

As far as food goes, guests can enjoy dishes generously donated by acclaimed Toronto restaurants Mt. Everest and The Roastery. Attendees can also peruse cuisine prepared by professional cooks and generous donors alike (don’t miss out on Nancy’s famous noodle salad!). And since no dinner is complete without a beverage, guests can purchase minimally-priced Steamwhistle beer and Pelee Island Winery red and white vino.

Our silent auction is set to be better than ever, with Mt. Everest and Playpen restaurant gift cards, hockey tickets, Nepali jewelery, masks, bags and artwork all up for grabs. And we’re accepting even more items! If you have anything you wish to donate to the auction, don’t hesitate to email David at waltonda@yahoo.ca and let him know.

To learn more about the bash, check out our newsletter here. 

You can also gain admission to the benefit by donating online. 

Hope to see you there!