Montreal, May 7, 2014 – The Red Cross is pleased to announce that its 2014 fundraising event, held on May 6 at New City Gas in Montreal, raised $1,020,000 to support emergency assistance for the people of Quebec. The result was announced by the joint chairs of the organizing committee, Martine Turcotte, Vice Chair, Quebec, Bell, and Martin Thibodeau, President, Quebec Headquarters, RBC Royal Bank, and by honorary chair Michèle Dionne, a Red Cross volunteer.
From left to right : Martin Thibodeau, RBC Royal Bank Regional President, Quebec and Joint Chair of the gala event, Michèle Dionne, Honorary Chair of the gala event and Red Cross volunteer, Martine Turcotte, Vice Chair, Quebec, Bell and Joint Chair of the gala event, Pierre Shedleur, Senior Advisor, BDO and member of the organizing committee, and Michel Léveillé, Director General of the Quebec Division of the Red Cross.
The joint chairs for the event are well aware of the important role the organization plays in Quebec, and for both, this is their second year of working together with the Red Cross. “This summer in Lac-Mégantic, I was able to see all the work done by the Red Cross. I saw the volunteers helping and comforting those affected by the disaster. It is at times like these that we understand the saying that together, we are stronger,” said Ms. Turcotte, as the evening’s festivities began.
Mr. Thibodeau, for his part, noted that “I have been an eyewitness to the key role the Red Cross plays in emergencies here and elsewhere in Canada, and to my way of thinking, the Red Cross is first and foremost a practical manifestation of solidarity.”
Addressing a crowd of guests that included leading figures from the business world, the Director General of the Quebec Division of the Red Cross, Michel Léveillé, drew attention to the outstanding work of the organizing committee, whose support had made it possible to find new contributors within the business community. Mr Léveillé went on to express his thanks to Michèle Dionne, who had organized the event for the first time 10 years ago, and “continues to support it with the same dedication.”
This year, the annual fundraising event for the Canadian Red Cross, Quebec Division, which is the biggest such event held in Canada, celebrated its 10th anniversary in style. In a festive, springlike setting of red and white, guests exchanged memories of major Red Cross operations over the last decade, both in Quebec and elsewhere.
Special partners and sponsors
The Red Cross was able to call upon some special partners and sponsors in order to make the evening a success. Special thanks go to Bell, RBC Royal Bank, Hydro-Québec, Power Corporation of Canada, BMO Financial Group, National Bank, CGI, Deloitte, Desjardins, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Norton Rose Fulbright, Couche-Tard, Investissement Québec, McCarthy Tétrault and the provincial liquor corporation, the SAQ.