Tea with cast members from
The Young and the Restless
Our first-ever OpportuniTEAS for Independence event took place at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York hotel on December 2, 2012. The event featured actors from the top-rated North American soap opera Young & The Restless and grossed over $50,000 for our Conductive Education® program.
Kate Linder (Esther Valentine on Y&R),
Christian Le Blanc (Michael Baldwin),
Tracey Bregman (Lauren Fenmore Baldwin),
Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe Fisher) and
Jeff Branson (Ronan Malloy) spent more than four hours at the afternoon tea, Dec. 2, followed by a meet ‘n’ greet and autograph signing. Global TV anchor Leslie Roberts co-emceed the event with Kate and Christian, which also included a question and answer session. Guitar legend Liona Boyd performed three songs. Guests went home with a gift bag that included items from Mereadesso and Red Carpet Sponsor Inspire Cosmetics amongst other goodies.
The funds raised from sponsors, ticket sales, and silent and live auctions will go towards our pre-school and early grades Conductive Education (CE) program. Linder visited the Conductive Education classrooms during her stay in Toronto, where she met the children and spoke with one of the parents, Claudio, about the tremendous progress his son has made in the program.
Our inaugural "OpportutiTeas with Kate Linder and Friends," — co-presented by
Global Television and
Mereadesso Cosmetics — sold out in days, before it was even publicly announced. More than 360 people attended. Those who weren’t able to get a ticket had the option of putting their name on a waiting list for next year’s event.
Linder conducted the live auction for which she brought a number of costumes worn by cast members. Le Blanc and Y&R hair and make-up artist Patti Denney donated their own paintings. Denney and fellow Y&R hair and make-up artist George Guzman also auctioned off an on-the-spot makeover.
However, the biggest item up for auction was a trip for two to Los Angles, plus hotel, and a visit to the Y&R studio with a tour conducted by Linder.
"The bidding was so boisterous and competitive [for the on-set visit] that Kate succeeded in getting three bidders each for $5000 and March of Dimes Canada agreed to get the travel arrangements for all six guests so no one would be disappointed," says Andria Spindel, President and CEO of March of Dimes Canada.
Aadditional OpportuniTEA's with Kate Linder:
| Spring 2013 |
- Calgary |
| |
- San Diego |
| December 2013 |
- Toronto |