On June 14, 2018, over 375 philanthropic women attended the 6th annual Handbags for Hospice event in London, Ontario. Handbags for Hospice is an event that raises a critical amount of funds to help support the residents and services at St. Joseph’s Hospice. This year was exceptionally successful, raising over $161,000.00, making this a record-breaking event.
As in years past, the event consisted of a cocktail party and an auction that provided guests with an opportunity to bid on designer bags, luxury experiences and unique getaways, all while raising funds to support the various programs and services for the terminally ill in London and Middlesex County.
Guests were treated to a lineup of over two hundred handbags of a mixed variety, including the elusive and extravagant Saint Laurent’s “Sac De Jour” to more budget friendly options. Guests were also provided with an opportunity to purchase a Golden Ticket, where the winner may select any item off of the live auction. Finally, while enjoying hors d’oeuvres and sipping away on cocktails, guests could purchase a ticket for the wine wall, guaranteeing them a bottle of wine valued up to $200.00.
Lerners was pleased and honoured to be the presenting sponsor for such an inspirational event for the third straight year. Myself, Yola Ventresca, and Alysia Christiaen were members of the organizing committee and found the experience to be extremely rewarding. As a member of the committee we are able to witness the generosity of local businesses and the community in order to make this event possible. It's incredible to see what can be accomplished when women from the community come together in support of such a deserving cause.
For me, the most moving part of the evening, is always the Fund-A-Need component. The enthusiasm and generosity from the guests is heartwarming as proceeds are raised to fund a specific component of Hospice care. This year $26,195 was raised in less than 10 minutes to help cover the cost of a residential suite for six months to ensure families within our community have the opportunity to receive quality compassionate care when they need it the most. This year was truly record-breaking in many regards. With the monumental success of this year’s event, I can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year.
