With 230+ participating restaurants across Vancouver, this event is sure to satisfy the palates of foodies and the needs of these two amazing charities.

It’s great to see so many restaurants in the Vancouver community taking the initiative to put on fundraising events to help Haiti. RTL (1130 Mainland Street) in Yaletown is hosting their “Help Haiti” event on Thursday January 21st. Tickets are $45, with cocktails and canapes, a silent auction and a photo gallery. Call R.TL at 604-638-1550 for tickets. And for more information about R.TL, click here to read the MMV article.

After Haiti’s devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake, CRU Restaurant (1459 West Broadway) is mustering its efforts to help the families and children who have lost their possessions and their loved ones in this overwhelming tragedy.
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On Sunday, January 31 2010, CRU Restaurant will invite Vancouverites to support the people of Haiti at a Haiti Earthquake Relief Fundraising Dinner. Guests will enjoy an outstanding four-course dinner paired with wines from CRU’s renowned cellar. The evening will also feature a silent auction. The event starts at 6:30pm and requires a minimum of a $100 donation per person.
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CRU staff will volunteer their time at the dinner, and the restaurant will donate all the food and beverages for this important event. 100% of the proceeds from the dinner will be donated to relief efforts in Haiti. The monies raised will also be matched by the Canadian government, doubling the amount of support that will be provided to the beleaguered country. Make your reservation now by calling 604-677-4111.

From now until November 15, bring a gently-worn party dress into Wear Else and get a $50 gift card. Your dress will be donated to Dress for Success.

Did you know that more people die from vending machines than shark attacks? Although sharks have been portrayed by media as ruthless killers, they are a misunderstood animal and rarely attack or even kill. On average, only 5 people die worldwide from shark attacks each year. In 2007, only a single person died from a shark attack. Meanwhile, up to 80 million sharks are killed each year for shark fin soup…
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Come find out what Shark Truth has in mind to help save the sharks as you join them at their launch event at Wild Rice (117 West Pender Street) on November 19th, 8pm to 10pm, for some fundraising, facts and fun. Hear from world renowned researcher and IUCN Shark Specialist Group Co-Chair, Nick Dulvy share his research findings on shark behaviour and population. Best of all, come mingle with fellow foodies and sample some of Andrew Wong’s local, modern Chinese cuisine with cool drink specials, door prizes and an awesome raffle draw. Tickets are $20 and can be bought here.

a global charity event that invites men to grow moustaches for the month of November. Since its inception, over 372,000 Mo Bros have grown moustaches to change the face of men’s health.

“Dress to the Nines. Lives depends on it.” Clever slogan, eh?…for the BCSPCA Animalia event on November 4, 2009. Animalia is the BCSPCA’s (Vancouver and Burnaby Branches) preeminent fundraising event, in support of the shelter’s ongoing fight to end animal cruelty. This year, a reception-style cocktail party (including cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction) will be hosted at the OPUS Hotel (322 Davie Street) in Yaletown. Vegan appetizers will be served, look forward to:
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• Grilled Asparagus with a lemongrass, ginger & tea vinaigrette
• Empanada, with corn, pablano chili & tofu ricotta
• Grilled Mochi, veganrella cheese
• Baked Green Baby Zucchini ‘cannelloni’ stuffed with mushroom duxelle
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Doors open at 6:30pm. Tickets can be bought for $50 on the BCSPCA Events Website.

Guest post by Kirsten Bailey of 6 oz.

Vancouverites! I believe common sense dictates that anything worth doing is done better in costume – especially if what you are doing is for charity. Everyone has that inner mascot just waiting to come out, it’s time to face it and embrace it.
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So….take this wisdom and run with it at the Chip’s Not Dead Yet charity race on June 20, 2009, with all proceeds going towards the BC Children’s Hospital foundation. When you register for the race, not only do you have the opportunity to race up and down W. 10th avenue dressed up in costume, but you also gain access to the largest summer street party Vancouver has to offer – we’re talking live entertainment on the Georgia Straight entertainment stage, a beer garden sponsored by Russell Beer and an expected 5000 excited people attending. Oh, and did I mention there were prizes?
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This is what you’ll be racing for:

• Bridal Dash = 2 tickets anywhere West Jet flies
• High Heel Dash = $1,500 Gift Card to spend at Pacific Centre (!!)
• Underwear Dash = A backyard summer BBQ catered by Russell Beer and Memphis Blues BBQ.
• Super Hero Half Mile(ish) Dash = A trip along the Inside Passage on the new Northern Expedition presented by BC Ferries.
• Timed Wave Race = 2 people will each win 6 months of yoga each, a mat and a water bottle courtesy of Semperviva Yoga
• Canucks Fan Parade = a Vancouver Canucks forward Taylor Pyatt signed stick and a Mattius Ohlund signed Jersey.
• Rock Star Wave = 2 tickets to the upcoming Aerosmith concert and a signed Aerosmith drumhead.
• Elite Race = $20,000

Other waves you can sign up for are the couch potato wave, the Pooch Parade, the uniform dash and high school elite dash. Read more here. Those are the things you’ll be racing to win, but every registered participant will walk away with a Lululemon Tech top valued at more than the cost of registration! So grab a couple friends, brainstorm costumes over a couple beers and make sure to register!
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Here are the specs:

Where? W. 10th Ave between Blanca and Alma
When? June 20th, 2009
How much? $35 for individuals // group of 10+, registration is only $30 per person.
Why?

1. For the kids! 200% of proceeds are going towards the BC Children’s Hospital. And no, my finger didn’t just slip from the ‘1′ to the ‘2′ accidentally. 200% of proceeds will go towards this children’s charity because Chip Wilson, founder of Lululemon, has agreed to match every dollar donated up to $150,000.
2. You get to dress up in costume! And run around! Like a kid!
3. You get access to the summers biggest street party! Enjoy live entertainment and a beer garden with 5000 other Vancouverites!

Hope to see you there!

I had the opportunity to meet up with Jennifer Petersen, the Arts Umbrella special events director, who told me all about and got me excited for the upcoming Arts Umbrella (AU) Precious Element fundraiser event at Opus Hotel on Thursday June 25, 2009.

With the theme honoring the “Gold and Glamorous”, the event promises to be a decadent affair attended by Vancouver’s glitterati, see and be scensters and fashionable stylistas. Delectable canapés courtesy of Elixir bistro’s Executive Chef, Don Letendre will be enjoyed along with mouth-watering cocktails. Gold-painted goddesses dance to the beats of talented DJ’s Blondtron & Krown, and guests will go home with a bag full of sponsored goodies.

Other reasons you should go: a balloon fundraiser with guarenteed prizes, drink tickets with your ticket purchase, a charitable tax receipt issued for a portion of the $130 ticket price, and, of course, another reason to glam up! Word on the street, there will be spa professionals from a certain company (shhh) doing gold themed mini-manicures on the spot (details unconfirmed, but keep it on the downlow!). With mingling and entertainment on two floors of the hotel, DJs in two rooms, and gift bags well worth the ticket price, buy your ticket ASAP by clicking here.
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Arts Umbrella is located on Granville Island and provides the visual and performing arts education to the children of Vancouver, between the ages of 2 and 19. The mix of topics in visual, performing and applied arts education is also exceptionally diverse and includes, architecture, cartooning, computer and classical animation, dance, film making, media arts, painting and drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture, theatre and video game design. The Granville Island facility alone hosts more than 650 classes each week. In addition, Arts Umbrella’s extensive, free-of-charge outreach programs offer arts experiences through schools and community centres in the surrounding community.
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Who doesn’t love going to trendy Yaletown events for a charitable cause? On June 17, 2009, Goldfish Pacific Kitchen (1118 Mainland Street) is hosting its inaugural in-house fundraiser “Summer Splash” with proceeds to Union Gospel Mission. According to the Yaletown restaurant’s owner Dotty Kanke, “Goldfish has sponsored many fundraisers in the past, but this our first in-house charitable event. The Union Gospel Mission is doing some very important work helping the homelessness situation in Vancouver and we are proud to be an ongoing supporter by raising money for the cause as well as donating our time.”
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As a non-profit urban relief organization, Union Gospel Mission serves Metro Vancouver and the City of Mission by providing hope and assistance for the hungry, hurting and homeless. With 12 facilities located between downtown Vancouver and Mission, the organization is ideally positioned to help those who need it most.

According to the press release:

Summer Splash tickets ($48 including GST) include light refreshments – samplings of wine, beer and martinis as well as selections from Goldfish Pacific Kitchen’s new summer menu. Bro Jake of Classic Rock 101 will emcee the evening, which includes a fashion show from local designer Anna Kosturova (as featured in Sports Illustrated’s annual swimsuit issue) at 8 p.m. followed by a live auction at 8:30 p.m. and ending with a salsa performance by Baila Vancouver. Other charitable components include a silent auction, balloon sales, featuring prizes donated by local businesses and a 50/50 draw.

For tickets, please contact 604-689-8318.