Freaky Friday the 13th

The development and building industry is well-known for charity fundraising events of which I've been to my fair share. While they are always enjoyable, I would admit to becoming a bit tired of the formula, but that all changed last Friday.

I don't know if it was the calendar date (Friday the 13th) or the unorthodox venue (the trendy Fermenting Cellar in Toronto's Distillery District) but BILD's Party For Humanity was an evening that will stand out in my memory for quite some time - at least until we do it again next year!

Reinventing the wheel

Formerly known as the President's Gala - a formal dinner where guests wined, dined and danced in formal or semi-formal attire - the event was completely reinvented in every respect except for the beneficiary, which remained Habitat for Humanity Toronto.

It could have been an episode of the Twilight Zone as the A-suits and little black dresses, along with table-settings with more forks than a country road, were replaced with sports jackets, jeans and lounge seating which nobody bothered with anyway - they were having too much fun enjoying the free-form nature of the event.

Evidently, BILD members have no fear of the spooky Friday the 13th because they came out in large numbers and they hung in like troopers. I myself made sure to stick around until midnight, fearing that the sushi bar might transform into a pumpkin. False alarm! The venue was still packed as guests continued gulping, gabbing and gobbling, in the best sense of course.

Fundraising success

Most importantly, the event attracted some very generous guests. With their help, over $20,000 was raised for Habitat for Humanity Toronto - a non-profit, non-denominational Christian housing organization that I have had the pleasure of working with for the past six years. This money will be put towards building affordable housing for low-income families.

BILD is a proud supporter of Habitat for Humanity Toronto, and I am personally impressed by their list of accomplishments. They have built over 200,000 homes in over 100 countries since their inception just over 20 years ago. In fact, they actually build a home every 24 minutes!

The organization relies heavily on support from the community and I strongly urge you to visit their website at www.torontohabitat.on.ca to donate, volunteer or find out if you're eligible to apply for a home of your own.

Same time next year

A huge shout out goes out to all the sponsors - there are way too many list, which just goes to show how dedicated our members are when it comes to charity. As well, a big thank you to BILD's very own Tiffany Kohl and her Organizing Committee, who really took the challenge to heart. Last but not least, I'd like to thank the hundreds of guests who donated to Habitat for Humanity Toronto by attending the party and taking part in the raffle and silent auction. What a terrific turnout! Thank you!

This was truly a night to remember, and I hope to see even better results after we party it up next year.