Young and Restless star Linder hosts March of Dimes fundraiser
Fans of The Young and the Restless can sip tea with the show’s cast while also giving to a good cause at an upcoming Calgary event.
Opportuni TEA takes place at the Westin Calgary on April 2 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and will include an autograph session with Young and Restless cast members, a live auction, and a question-andanswer period.
“We’re able to raise money for a good cause,” said Kate Linder, who plays Esther Valentine on the show. “I just think it’s so important to give back.”
The Young and the Restless, of course, is a long-running American soap opera about two Wisconsin families, with Linder originally playing the maid of Katherine Chancellor, the richest woman in town, before Chancellor’s death in 2013.
Linder, who’s been on the show for 34 years and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, has been using her celebrity status to raise money for important causes. Linder also became the spokesperson for the ALS Association after her brother-in-law was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“If you want to raise money for a charity, you should do a Young and Restless event,” Linder said. “It’s just a win-win situation for everyone.”
Eighty-eight per cent of proceeds for the event will be going to March of Dimes Canada’, a charity organization that supports Canadians living with all types of disabilities. It serves over 75,000 consumers per year.
“Our goal is to help each of them live as independently and as fully as possible,” said Mary Lynne Stewart, the national director of fund development and communications for the charity.
This is the fourth Opportuni-TEA that March of Dimes Canada has hosted in Calgary. Its goal each time is to raise $40,000.
“Ultimately, it’s a chance for Young and Restless fans to spend some time with their favourite celebrities and support a great cause at the same time,” Stewart said.
In addition to Linder, Young and Restless stars Christian LeBlanc, Tracey Bregman, Elizabeth Hendrickson and Bryton James will be attending the event. Linda Olsen, the anchor of Global News Hour Calgary, is also expected.
“They’re donating their time,” Linder said. “No one is paying for this.”
The event will consist of a high tea with fancy snacks and Linder acting as a hostess. For the auction, the big-package item is a tour of the show’s set.
“There’s no other way to see it,” Linder said.
Proceeds will be specifically going to Conductive Education (CE) and Peer Support programs run by March of Dimes.
“CE is a really innovative therapy for people with neurological and motor disorders like cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis,” Stewart said. “It combines education and rehabilitation to help people learn the skills they need to function as independently as possible in daily life.”
March of Dimes Canada began in 1949 as a group of mothers going door-to-door to see who could spare a dime to help fund research for a polio vaccine. Singer Eddie Cantor heard about this and suggested the name “March of Dimes,” which comes from the depressionera song “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”
The organization offers peer support groups, employment support, life skills training, accessible recreation, supportive living and physical rehabilitation.
The high-tea events themselves began when Stewart met Linder at a charity golf tournament in 2010.
“I loved the show, so we got to talking,” Steward said.
“I found out that she was doing a high tea for charity in Vancouver, and said, ‘Why don’t we do one in Toronto?’ It was that simple.”
Ever since then, the teas have proven to be highly popular. Over $100,000 has been raised in Calgary alone.
“Toronto sells out before they even know who’s coming,” Linder said.
As their ambassador for CE, Linder hosts High Tea fundraisers in Calgary and Toronto, helps promote the program and visits CE classes whenever she gets the chance.
“Kate is just a very charitable and wonderful person,” Stewart said. “She’s very involved and has a great sense of what the program does for people.”
Linder said her favourite part about these teas is meeting fans and seeing how excited they are about the show.
“I’m just so looking forward to seeing everyone.”