Last night three hundred guests came out to celebrate World Red Cross Day – officially tomorrow – at the 3rd Annual Red Cross Red Carpet Soiree at Yaletown’s chic Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar. Guests were greeted with Belvedere cocktails before grazing on original canapés and fresh seafood prepared by two of Vancouver’s top chefs – Executive Chef Frank Pabst and Raw Bar Chef Yoshihiro Tabo – and sampling fine Inniskillin and Sumac Ridge wines, donated by Vincor.
The evening featured silent auction items from some of Vancouver’s top hotels and retailers, including West Restaurant, Four Seasons Hotel, and Outdoor Adventures. The top bid was for an official Olympic torch at $1300 and the event raised a total of $15,000 for the Lower Mainland Red Cross Disaster Management Program. “It’s great to see so many people supporting their community this way” said Red Cross Director, Kimberley Nemrava. “The Red Cross hopes to double its disaster response capacity over the next five years, and volunteer events like this definitely make that goal possible”. In the wake of earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, and China the world saw the importance of being prepared for unforeseen disasters. The funds raised will help prepare supplies and services in case of floods, forest fires, earthquakes, and storms in the Lower Mainland.
World Red Cross Day, May 8th, honours and celebrates the unity of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies throughout the globe. In times of crisis any National Red Cross Society can call on its 185 sister Societies for assistance. Their common mandate is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity.
