Tonight, Mon Sheong Foundation brings an evening of radiance and revelry to Cathay Ball at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. In celebration of the Foundation’s Diamond Jubilee, the fundraising gala brilliantly exudes the spirit of its theme, “Shining 60 Years & Beyond.”
Cathay Ball welcomes around 1,000 guests, with over 20 officials from all three levels of government in attendance, along with business partners and community leaders. Special guests include Her Honour The Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario; His Honour Mr. Tony Viscardi; Hon. Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development; Hon. Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; Hon. Raymond Cho, Minister of Seniors and Accessibility; Mayor Frank Scarpitti, City of Markham; Mayor David West, City of Richmond Hill; and Mayor Olivia Chow, City of Toronto. All proceeds from the event will go toward the “Because We Care” capital campaign to build new Long-Term Care Centres.
Chairman Tim Kwan views Cathay Ball as a celebration of Mon Sheong Foundation’s past legacy and future growth. “Since 1964, Mon Sheong Foundation has been dedicated to serving diverse communities in the Greater Toronto Area. We are proud to enter our 60th year, nurtured by the unwavering support of those around us.
“Mon Sheong Home for the Aged on D’Arcy Street, opened in 1975, is the first Home for the Chinese community in Ontario. Today, the Foundation operates four Long-Term Care Centres providing a total of 777 care beds in the Greater Toronto Area. Two new Long-Term Care Centres are now under construction, both progressing at an impressive pace. The Mon Sheong Dr. Paul Woo Long-term Care Centre is scheduled to be completed by summer 2025, providing 224 care beds in Stouffville, while the Markham Long-Term Care Centre will welcome residents in spring 2026, providing 320 care beds. In addition, we are working with the provincial and municipal governments to build another 288-bed Long-Term Care Centre in Richmond Hill. We plan to begin construction as soon as possible.”
Cathay Ball Co-chairs Jeffrey Mah and Ying Duong also note Cathay Ball’s significance in marking the Foundation’s 60th anniversary: “This year, we invited three Honorary Co-chairs who are closely connected with the Foundation’s history: Mrs. Pauline Con, widow of the late Reverend Ronald Con, Founding Convenor of Mon Sheong Foundation; Dr. Barbara Liu, daughter of the late Dr. Fai Liu, one of the Co-founders and President of the Foundation for over 25 years; and Mr. Victor Wong, inaugural Student President of Mon Sheong Youth Group.
“The gala is instrumental in spearheading Mon Sheong’s future development, with all donations used to fund the building of new Long-Term Care Centres. Capturing the essence of the tagline ‘Grow with Mon Sheong’ in our 60th anniversary celebrations, we are gifting a beautiful Tree of Life Crystal Ball to guests who donate $500 or more tonight.”
The spirit of conviviality is infused into Cathay Ball’s program, with enchanting performances by Toronto’s homegrown talents. Young performers from the Etobicoke School of the Arts’ show choir SPLASH and the School of Toronto City Ballet light up the stage with their energy, and the Michael Vieira Band’s live music sets the mood for guests to dance the night away.
Guests can immerse themselves in Cathay Ball’s signature Silent Auction, which sports over 200 items this year. Key items include two Business Class air tickets sponsored by Air Canada and a seven-day Caribbean cruise sponsored by U-cruising. For a little more excitement, guests are invited to purchase a raffle ticket for the Special Draw, with the prizes being a pair of round-trip Economy Class tickets by Air Canada and a Neptune Sofa-Bed 3-Seater by Cozey.
For the success of a spectacular evening, Mon Sheong Foundation expresses deep thanks to all sponsors for their valuable support, with special acknowledgments to Diamond Sponsor MediSystem Pharmacy and Gold Sponsors CIBC, Concord Adex and TD Bank Group. The Foundation is also grateful to 100 volunteers and Youth Group members for their assistance.
Photos and videos from Cathay Ball 2024 will be uploaded to www.cathayball.com. Guests are welcome to explore the upcoming online Gallery to revisit special moments from the gala. To find out more about Mon Sheong Foundation, please visit www.monsheong.org.