ALL OUT OF LOVE: The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s Symphony Ball is always a sold-out affair. This year’s 25th playing was no exception even after organizers dropped its Lover’s moniker from the marquee event. No matter as long-standing chairs Mary Ann Clark and Laura Hansen welcomed a record number of guests to the milestone Valentine’s mash-up with the Grammy and Juno award-winning 75-member orchestra, staged at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Attendees mingled over champagne and tables of silent auction items before making their way into the cavernous hall for a wonderful evening of fine food, wine and fundraising hosted by Christopher Gaze. Attendees showed their love and affection for the company’s outreach and education initiatives, emptying their wallets of some $925,000 and change before dancing the night away to sweet symphonic music.
SEX TALK: Youth advocate and sexuality educator Heather Corrina, founder of the popular sex-education website Scarleteen.com was honoured at the second annual Sexual and Reproductive Health Day Breakfast. Yours truly emceed the morning affair that saw more than 150 early risers — educators, health professionals and sex-ed advocates — gather at the Vancouver Marriott Hotel for the fundraising event, presented by Options for Sexual Health (formerly Planned Parenthood), a nonprofit provider of sexual health services. Corrina was presented with the 2015 Sexual Health Champion award at the event, which is held as part of Sexual and Reproductive Health Day, a federal initiative held annually on Feb. 12 to raise awareness and engage Canadians in a healthy dialogue on sexual health.
TRUE LOVE: UBC’s CampOUT, a community-based summer program that encourages queer, trans and allied youth ages 14 to 21 to be themselves, develop leadership skills, build self-esteem and embrace diversity, will begin accepting applications for their sixth running this July. Supporters recently gathered at Scotia Tower to hear heartwarming testimonials from campers and cabin leaders who spoke passionately about the skills and friendships they had developed — many, including keynote Ivan Leonce, describing his experience as transformative, positive, reaffirming and life changing. The stewardship event, hosted by Scotiabank’s Winnie Leong and David Poole, concluded with a further financial commitment by the community-minded bank and a video of shiny, happy campers played to True Colours. Since its inception, more than 300 Queer youth from all over the province have participated in the innovative program free of charge.
