October 27, 2013
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. It was a SOLD OUT event. No numbers yet on exactly how much was raised but the auctioneer was really busy for a part of the evening.
Angelo Paletta worked the room of the Burlington Community Foundation Masquerade ball like a politician running for office.
It was a fun night where Angelo Paletta, this year’s Patron for the Burlington Community Foundation annual fund-raiser, worked the tables so well one might have thought he was running for office.
There were there to dine, to dance, to raise additional funds and just have a good time. The setting made all that possible.
The Burlington Convention Centre was very nicely decorated with the event where the masquerade theme dominated.
The evening was part social, part fund-raiser and the occasion when Murray and Diane Hogarth the Philanthropists of the year were celebrated and honoured for what they have given back to the community.
This wasn’t an occasion to take name of identify the “usual suspects” but a time to catch people in an environment they are comfortable in. Deals and conversations are always part of the social mix.
The Burlington Community Foundation is an organization that works on several levels for the city. Besides holding a boffo ball – it has a structure that serves the people who want to donate some of the wealth and their talent to the community. The Hogarth’s are the first couple recognized as philanthropists in Burlington and they are the fourth to be so honoured. Predecessors were: Don Smith, Kevin Brady, Doug Leggat and now Diana and Murray Hogarth.
The Foundation collaborates with individuals and corporations to build endowments, give grants and connect community leadership. There are currently more than 55 funds overseen by the Foundation with Donour Designated, Donour Advised, specific fields of interest; scholarship based and unrestricted funds.
Philanthropy is not just people giving money – it is service to the community where talent is as relevant as the size of the cheque that might be written.
Each year the Foundation produces a Vital Signs report setting out where the city is on a number of different socio-economic levels and highlighting areas of specific concern to the community.
That is a great smile!
Mental Health was highlighted as a very serious concern and one that will be given more attention through a Roundtable the Foundation will sponsor in the New Year.
There are other organizations that use the Foundation to distribute funds into the community. The Halton Heros leave the funds they have raised with the Foundation and have the organization deliver the funds when there is a need. The service allows an organization to focus on fund raising and not get bogged down with the investment and management of the funds raised.
How two women can have a conversation and ignore a Bobby Orr sweater defied understanding – well male understanding anyway.
When it came to bidding for items it was clear this woman knew what she wanted.
Foundation Executive Director Collen Mullholland makes sure the event Patron Angelo Paletta stays on track
Fist full of dollars. One unique auction item was a high end purse stuffed with cask. The winning bidder got the purse and a tax receipt for the cash which went to the Foundation.
He needed just that much more – and the deal might have been done or perhaps it was just that much more for the golf ball to go into the hole. We will never know which.
A ball is a social event – where people spend as much time walking as they dancing and dining. Gives everyone a chance to check out the gowns as well.
You dance with the person who brought you – and dance they did.
Do the masques hid the beauty?
This wouldn’t be a Burlington organization if there wasn’t an invitational golf tournament as well. The Foundation distributes funds to an extensive list of organization including ArtHouse, Bay Area Restoration, Bruce Trail, Burlington Art Centre , Canadian Mental Health Association, Conservation Halton Foundation, Danielle’s Place, Easter Seals, Food for Life, Habitat for Humanity, Halton Food for Thought, Reach Out Centre for Kids ROCK, , Start2Finish and the YMCA.
Later in the week the Foundation will announce what was raised and move on to the next project which in a few short months will be the Roundtable on Mental Health and the impact that is having on our community.
We asked Ashley to cover the Masquerade Ball, seen as the premier social event in Burlington, where the funds raised go to the Burlington Community Foundation.
One table insisted on posing for the camera – something we don’t do much of. We prefer to catch people as they are rather than what they want the camera to see. But this bunch of happy campers had bid on a Bahamas Cruise and invited our photographer to tag along and do an expose on the crowd. This might be a Burlington Ashley Sloggett could get used to
A night out doesn’t mean the home front doesn’t have to be looked after – this couple work the phones – perhaps to determine just where the kids are. I’ll call this one – you call that one.
