Chinatown Gala

COMMUNITY BUILDING Looking to build on the impressive debut of her Chinatown Foundation Gala one year ago, businesswoman Carol Lee once again enlisted Carole Taylor and Leslie Diamond to lead the charge for the event’s sophomore staging. Quickly becoming a leading date on the charitable circuit, more than 600 guests — captains of industries and community leaders — packed Soha Lavin’s beautifully decorated Hotel Vancouver ballroom to help preserve the district’s cultural heritage and work together to build a better neighbourhood for all.

While development efforts at 105 Keefer continue to be a lightning rod — the latest plans turned down for the fifth consecutive time, the foundation is making strides to improve the historic area. This past February, the purchase of the storied May Wah Hotel, a 120-room SRO building, was completed. As well, the 58 West Hastings project with 231 units of social housing hopes to break ground in mid-2018, Lee reported. The UBC and Harvard grad also opened Chinatown Barbecue, her first restaurant venture and her Chinatown Storytelling Centre, in the former BMO Building, is scheduled to open this spring.

There is still much to do, Lee reminded supporters. And when the time came to give, many in the room responded. Yours truly called the auction of one-of-a-kind items and experiences. A dinner for 20 at Lee’s soon-toopen Ho Ho Restaurant would fetch $27,000, sold twice. The pricey party would contribute to more than $130,000 raised from five luxury lots. Community builders Robert H.N. Ho, Wallace Chung, Phil Lind, Ben Yeung, Paul Lee and Jacqui Cohen would lead the charge during the outright call for cash. It would all contribute to another red-hot night, and a million dollars for the foundation.

Ty Waters, a 13-year-old rising talent, headlined Carol Lee’s Chinatown Foundation Gala. The second annual dinner and auction would raise another $1 million to help revitalize the storied Vancouver neighbourhood.

Second World War veterans Tommy Wong and Bing Wong were recognized for their service at the gala. This year also marked the 70th anniversary of Chinese Canadians winning the right to vote.

Acclaimed visual artist Paul Wong partied down with Chinatown advocate Joy McPhail. Wong’s neon sculpture #hashtagplus sold in the auction fetched well above the $17,500 appraised value.

Party co-chair Carole Taylor and Pacific Blue Cross’s Jan Grude were all smiles following a night of community support from the more than 600 guests.

Talent agent Sam Feldman and daughter Aiya contributed to the success of the Gala as a donation of a pendant from the House of Dahres raised $30,000.