Fred Lee’s social network
MILLION DOLLAR FACE: Jacqui Cohen’s first Face the World Foundation gala at her Point Grey home in 1991 raised $80,000. Since then, more than $15 million has been raised for more than 250 local charities helping women, children and the city’s most vulnerable. One of the province’s première galas, the party has in the past attracted the likes of Michael Bublé, Donny Osmond, Jackie Collins, Gene Simmons, Chad Kroeger, Tom Jones, Colin James, Long John Baldry, Goldie Hawn, the Canadian Tenors and The Temptations, to name a few. Cohen recently welcomed 300 guests — including tastemakers, influencers and the city’s who’s who — to her waterfront home for the fundraiser’s 25th instalment.
Even at $2,500 a ticket, the silver-anniversary affair had no problem selling out. Arriving en masse, the well-heeled were greeted with endless flutes of Veuve Clicquot. And after much mingling and exchanges of air kisses, the glamorous flock migrated to Cohen’s backyard patio for a sumptuous three-course Hy’s Encorecatered dinner and performance by celebrity drag queen Milk. Masters of ceremonies Mike Kileen and Vicki Gabereau kicked off the philanthropic night while Fiona Forbes and Howard Blank conducted the luxury live auction, in which a sparkling new BMW i8 hybrid sports car sold for an impressive $70,000.
The highlight, however, came when galagoers emptied their designer wallets of cash for the non-profit charity. Among the benefactors were David and Neil Aisenstat, Shannon and Chip Wilson, Penny and Riccardo Nardelli, Ellie and Zev Shafran, Carrie and Craig Diamond, Ginny and Bruce Orr, Jill and David Lyall, Frank and Marika Palmer, Elise and Richard Rees, Paul and Devina Zalesky, Sean and Saeedeh Salem, Blaine Culling, Gary Zlotnik and Russell Hollingsworth. Their generosity contributed to a total $1.5 million raised, the ninth consecutive time the fundraiser has reached seven figures.