A night for caring and sharing
June 9, 2010 Noted Hamilton dentist Vineet Bhandari has many fond memories of last Thursday's hugely successful Charity of Hope gala, Jazz & Pizazz, featuring Alfie Zappacosta. There was the great turnout (550, more than 100 more than last year); the remarkable involvement of a new generation of young organizers, including his daughter Sameera; the music; and many winning auction bidders donating their items back. But probably the most vivid moment of all was when his friend, Mississauga lawyer Ed Hand, was so touched by the Charity Of Hope video shown at the event that he was moved to make a special donation. "He took my hand," said Bhandari, "and put something in it. When I opened my hand it was full of $100 bills. Fifteen of them. "I told him, 'I can't accept. This is too kind.' But he insisted." It helped the Charity Of Hope Oakville on its way to raising an unprecedented $60,000, the money going to help disadvantaged young people. The total was 50 per cent more than last year's. "More young people are joining the Oakville chapter, and we are so encouraged by that," said event cochair Lynn Mercanti. Her daughter, Marisa, is on the organizing committee. Her son, Marcello, made the aforementioned video, set to Leonard Cohen music, which had people reaching for hankies and tissue. It focused on the work of the Kerr Street Ministries in Oakville, which receives a donation from the Charity Of Hope and whose executive director, Benjamin Ward, was on hand to thank the organization. The event featured not only dozens of auction items but a spectacular fashion show and live music by two-time Juno award winner Zappacosta and his band. The same man who donated the $1,500 cash also bought a $4,000 fashion package, including a Lucian Matis dress and Roberto Cavalli sunglasses, and a trip to Chicago. Then the winners of the heads and tails contest donated the $2,000 watch they won back to the auction, and Hand ended up bidding the watch up to $1,900 before another woman took it for $2,000. "It was just one gesture after another," said Bhandari, "that left me feeling so good inside about the evening and the generosity of people." The Charity Of Hope is an organization that began in Hamilton with the Mercanti family more than 10 years ago and has since spread to Brantford and Oakville. Thursday's night's gala was the eighth for the Oakville chapter, and while it still brings out many Hamiltonians, it has also developed its own identity. Some notable guests at the event were Sam Mercanti, his wife Roma Mercanti and son P.J. Mercanti of Hamilton; WAVE 94.7 radio personality Vickie van Dyke; The Weather Network's Chris Mei, who was master of ceremonies; the ever-dapper Frank Apa of Lexus of Oakville (the evening's presenting sponsor) Ash Singh from Equity Builders; Dr. Gopal Bhatnagar; Mississauga businessman Dominic Sicilia; Hamilton clothier Alan Livingston; Gabe Macaluso and his family; and Sam and Rosemary Monte. Of course, Morris Mercanti was there. He is not only a member of the organizing committee but also president of the Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre, where the event was held. Some other committee members and guests were Bhandari's wife Klara Kovacs, Tim Battaglia, Stacey Leger, Roberto Fizcere, Andrea Ingraudo, Sandra Krueger, Marisa Mercanti, Jennifer Mercanti, Arlene Sebastian, Namita Shapra, Shally Shapra, Rebecca McAlpine, and Chantal Sawision. |
