The Power of Support: Power To Be’s First Nature Gala

This past weekend, Power To Be hosted our very first Nature Gala, an annual fundraising event to help support Power To Be’s inclusive adventure programming. Formally known as Power To Golf, this year’s event featured fine dining, a silent auction, and a musical performance from award-winning singer Sarah McLachlan, and was truly a milestone in Power To Be’s fundraising efforts.

The event was held at the ocean-front property of Terry and Carol Johnston; which made for the perfect venue. With scattered party tents, elegant floral arrangements, and a breathtaking view of the ocean, guests spent the night mingling and learning more about Power To Be from staff, volunteers, and participant parents. Among the excitement was a tent dedicated to the event’s silent auction, which featured 50 donated items such as vacations, dinners, concert and sports tickets, and artwork. Guests were invited to place bids on the items and winners were announced later in the evening along with the door prize of a trip to Nimmo Bay.

Chef Amanda Cohen (Dirt Candy), Chef Kristian Eligh (Toptable group), Chef Justin Leboe (Model Milk/ Pigeonhole), and Chef Takashi Ito (Aura) provided the evening’s culinary experience serving up incredible, refined dishes throughout the night. Each of the world-renowned chefs delivered fresh ingredients, technical skills, and beautiful plating.

After a heartfelt speech from our Founder, Tim Cormode, and a beautiful story from Lisa Bosdet, a parent of one of our participants, Power To Be invited guests to participate in the “Fill the Canoe” campaign. The combined total from the evening’s donation opportunities resulted in $555,000 being raised to support Power To Be’s programming, which continues to allow over 1,000 participants a year access nature in a safe, fun, and inclusive way.

The event concluded with a special performance from celebrated Canadian artist Sarah McLachlan, who dazzled the crowd with her angelic voice and charismatic performance. She joined the Power To Be team on stage in her new Power To Be sweater as we unveiled the impressive donation total raised from the event. In addition to the money raised to support Power To Be’s programs, the Bank of Montreal generously donated $225,000 to help fund Power To Be’s Prospect Lake site.

All donations from the event directly support Power To Be’s programming and our mission of making nature accessible to all. We are thrilled with the amount of support we received from Nature Gala. It is heartwarming to witness the dedication and involvement of the community to support Power To Be’s programs. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the generosity of both sponsors and donors, who continue to stand by Power To Be’s mission and values.