Curiously busy for a Monday night, the Sheraton’s second floor was packed. From the cocktail hour’s beginnings, conversations flowed like the wine and laughter rang out from all four corners of the room. Business community members, Community Shares’ corporate partners and West Islanders made up the large part of the crowd that was ready to indeed ‘share the experience,’ of raising funds at a live auction. As things really got rolling, the three-course dinner service brought gasps of excitement to the diners. A fantastic cranberry salad kicked things off, and the entrée of veal chop accompanied by mixed seasonal vegetables and potatoes and dessert of delectable maple-tinged sugar pie was set off by an elaborately and savvily done wine menu.
The silent and live auctions helped dinner go down, as each of the unique ‘experience’ items were presented one by one. From a lesson in boxing 101 from former world champion Otis Grant to a visit to a movie studio to a dinner for 12 in the company of hockey legend Guy Lafleur. A highlight was a luxury getaway to Curaçao in the Dutch Antlles – and the crowd, despite being made up of local heavyweights – was suitably impressed by the diverse and impressive array of ‘experiences’ up for auction , “but the capper was by far the Andre Lurton Group chateau tour of France’s impressive castles for two, including a four-night stay in the Château de La Louvière, which has been declared a national historical monument,” said West Island Community Shares executive director Caroline Tison. “It would be most interesting for people who are lovers of fine wine, because of the wine tastings that go on at each of the chateaus visited on the tour,” added the auction’s co-host, 92.5 The Beat FM radio personality Ken Connors. One of the experiences up for auction was an evening meal for 12 at Le Chambertin in Pointe Claire alongside Nelligan MNA Yolande James and former Montreal Expos play-by-play man Rodger Brulotte. James, who was present throughout the evening, had a few choice words about Community Shares and the dinner up for auction.
“Listen, it’s going to be a great event. It will be funny and we’ll have some fun. Before I was ever in politics, I knew what Community Shares was doing on the ground. That’s why, whenever I get the opportunity to help them out, I do. They brought me the idea, and I just adore Rodger, so I said yes without hesitation,” she said, adding “I encourage people to give, give and give. There’s no question that they’ll have a very nice evening with Rodger and I.”
The lovely Family Minister cut an elegant figure in her classic black dress and had to end our interview to take some photos before returning to Quebec City, which coincided with the arrival of the evening’s other star political attraction, newly-minted Pierrefonds-Dollard MP Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe, who bought a table for the occasion and invited eight directors of local non-profit organizations, which seemed to be an apropos invitation.
“It’s a way to support Community Shares and to help shine a light on the directors and their organizations. We could have certainly invited dozens more, but since I’m only in my first year as an MP, it’s a good start,” she said.
The red carpet luminaries
If some attendees were conspicuous upon their arrival – big names such as Banque Nationale chairman Louis Vachon and former Montreal Exchange CEO Luc Bertrand – others attracted attention in a much more obvious way: their fashion on the red carpet.
Some, such as Pfizer bigwig Tanya Brasseur, opted for the timeless ‘little black dress,’ accented nicely by jewelry and a lovely pair of pumps chosen just for the occasion, along with a great handbag, that tied the ensemble together and gave her the ‘wow’ factor that makes tongues wag! Other guests also pushed the audacity envelope, including WICS staffer Anne Lajoie, who came attired in an amazing black-and-white dress that flattered her silhouette beautifully. A special shout-out must also go out to Janie Soublière, whose flashy red shoes matched the red carpet and lit up the evening!
