The second annual Town Party wrapped up with a sizeable donation for John Ryan’s Regeneration Tour. Event chair and founder Don Anderson says that although they are still in the process of figuring out how well they’ve done, they will donate a minimum of $2,000, raised through admissions and a silent auction, to Ryan’s cross-Canada Regeneration Tour. The event, held April 10 at the Chateau Whistler, featured disco sensations Wünderbread and the reggae band Boom Daddy, as well as Artrageous! and the Regeneration Tour silent auction, the principle fund-raising activity at the Town Party for Ryan’s cross-Canada tour for spinal cord regeneration research. Including artists and volunteers more than 1,000 people attended the party. "That’s not bad for a second year," says Anderson. "The turnout certainly exceeded all our expectations, but it was definitely the celebration we intended. It was an absolute success and thanks goes out to our sponsors." The annual Town Party is intended to remind Whistlerites that Whistler has an identity that goes well beyond its number one ski resort rankings, and that Whistler is a community of people of all ages and profiles, of all interests and backgrounds, and of great energy and enthusiasm. Meanwhile, organizers of The Seasons Fashion Show, a benefit for the Western Canadian Paediatrics AIDS Society, which took place at Garfinkel’s on April 5 have done the math and determined that the total amount raised is close to $4,000. The WCPAS is a registered local charity whose mandate is developing summer camp programs for children living with AIDS. The show was co-ordinated by Emanuela Bertoia-Laverty, owner of Farfalla Hair and Body Spa and was made possible through the participation of Whistler models, stylists, make-up artists, choreographers, volunteers and sponsoring businesses.
