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Dianne Watts, the MP for South Surrey White Rock, and Liberal MLA hopeful Karen Wang, right, helped usher in the Year of the Rooster at the Bell Centre for Performing Arts. Fred Lee / Postmedia News

John and Nina Cassils once again fronted their eighth annual Taste the World Gala benefiting Cambodias Angkor Childrens Hospital.

After vacationing and falling in love with Myanmar and its people, the couple has rallied others to visit, and created Taste the World to support Cambodias Ankor Childrens Hospital a non-profit pediatrics teaching hospital and the countrys need for better health education and care.

As usual, a raucous crowd filled the Four Seasons Hotel ballroom in Vancouver for the wine and cheese grazer and fundraising event, held in partnership with the Import Vitners and Spirits Association.

Brenda McAllister and Karen Carmichael steered this years tipple fest the first major wine shindig of 2017. Oenophiles sipped and swirled to their hearts content, while bidding on an array of silent and live auction items in support of the worthy cause.

Event emcees Sophie Lui and Brad Jefferson saw for themselves the need to support the effort. Their travel stories to Southeast Asia along with others in the room buoyed the well-heeled crowd to empty their designer purses and wallets of $180,000 and change.

The impressive tally pushed the Cassils humanitarian efforts beyond the $1 million mark. The evenings proceeds will treat some 35,000 children this year who otherwise would not be able to afford health care, says McAllister.

Nina and John Cassils Taste the World event in Vancouver has generated more than $1 million for Cambodias Angkor Childrens Hospital, thanks to the generosity of friends and British Columbians.

Brenda McAllister and Karen Carmichael held the prestigious positions as event co-chairs of the annual Taste the World tipple fest. Their efforts resulted in $180,000 being raised which will help treat some 35,000 patients at the non-profit pediatrics hospital.

Goldcorps David Garofalo escorted his girlfriend Christie King to the wine and cheese grazer at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver. The eighth annual event netted organizers $180,000 for Angkor Childrens Hospital.

Bill Sanford and Danielle Roberts of Appellation Wine offered oenophiles a taste of their Rocca delle Macie wines from Italy and Lake Sonoma wines from California.

After visiting the Angkor Childrens Hospital in Cambodia, Richard and Heidi Coglon were moved to help the children and families there that otherwise could not afford to access basic health care.

The White Rock Chinese Association ushered in the Year of the Rooster at the Bell Performing Arts Centre.

A gala celebration featuring 80 international and local musicians, singers and dancers, the Spring China at White Rock festival sponsored by local developer Landmark Premier Properties benefited the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation and its $15 million ER Campaign.

Several hundred guests, including a gaggle of glad-handing politicos, took in the multicultural arts extravaganza. The yearly party which began in South Surreys Life Church marked its sophomore year at the Bell Centre; a recognition of the growing Chinese community in White Rock and South Surrey.

Yours truly orchestrated the live auction in advance of the two-hour gala performance led by WRCA president Joanne Ding, Landmark PropertiesRaymond Chen and event emcee Lisa Wu.

Auction proceeds contributed to the $18,000 haul. That number quickly rose when Landmark matched every dollar. Not to be outdone, Dave and Rani Mann of Isle of Mann Construction further matched donations.

Before the final curtain fell on the cultural exchange, $72,000 was presented to hospital foundation chair Siobhan Philips and executive director Stephanie Beck.

Stella Chen and Bingqing Lin were among a host of local and international musicians, singers and dancers that performed at the Spring China at White Rock New Year Festival.

Building community, Raymond Chens Landmark Properties sponsored, and Jennifer Dings White Rock Chinese Association produced, the multicultural extravaganza Spring China at White Rock.

Beneficiary of the Chinese New Year party, Peace Arch Hospital Foundation board chair Siobhan Philips and executive director Stephanie Beck collected a $72,000 cheque for its ER Fundraising Campaign.

More than 650,000 British Columbians young and old live with arthritis. And three out of five people are under the age of 65.

The idea that there are more than 100 types of arthritis, and that many can be devastating, debilitating and even fatal, is shocking.

Putting a spotlight on an underestimated, often invisible disease, the B.C. and Yukon chapter of the Arthritis Society presented its inaugural All-in for Arthritis Poker Gala.

Fronted by party chair Dave Turner, tournament chair Sameer Ismailand executive directorChristine Basque, a capacity crowd filled the Stanley Park Pavilion for the charity poker tournament and a chance to play a hand to send kids with arthritis to summer camp.

Celebrating its 35th year, the Arthritis Camp provides a unique opportunity for children to meet others who understand what its like to grow up with the disorder.

Keynote speakerAdrienne Dalla-Longa knows first hand the magic of the camp. Diagnosed with juvenile arthritis, she had to wear ankle, knee and wrist braces in school, and was prevented from participating in many activities.

Bullied by peers who did not understand why she was unable to play, the camp introduced her to others with shared challenges and highlighted she was not alone in her journey. Dalla-Longas compelling story helped table $85,000 for the society.

Rheumatologist Dr. Jean Gillies was all-in for Samantha Rogers poker charity tournament. The inaugural event raised $85,000 for the Arthritis Societys B.C. and Yukon chapter.

Arthritis ambassador Adrienne Dalla-Longa joined Arthritis Society executive director Christine Basque and gala emcee Dawn Chubai for all the fun and games at the Stanley Park Pavilion.

Tournament chair Sameer Ismail congratulated Clark Wilsons Ryan Tam, the inaugural winner of the Arthritis Societys All-In for Kids Poker Championship. Monies will go toward sending children with arthritis to summer camp.

Drew McArthur, past chair of the national board of The Arthritis Society, and his wife Heather, helped mark the 35th anniversary of the arthritis kids camp, a summer program that gives children with arthritis the chance to meet others who live with similar challenges and to make lasting memories.

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Fred Lee's Social Network: Full house for arthritis poker; sipping wine to aid Cambodia children; Year of the ... - The Province

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