Community
June 21, 2007

Bloorview Awards:
2007 Circle of Honour Recipients

Generous, innovative, inspirational, philanthropic, motivational, role models – just some of the characteristics embodied by this year’s five Circle of Honour recipients.

The Circle of Honour is Bloorview’s highest honourable award. The 2007 awards were handed out to five deserving recipients at Bloorview’s Annual General Meeting on June 21, 2007.

Spledido’s Yannick Bigourdan and David Lee combined culinary genius with charitable work. They were honoured for their philanthropic work to raise money for the Bloorview Nursery School Programs across Toronto.

Congratulations to all of the Circle of Honour recipients. Wishing you the best in your future endeavours!

Bloorview Kids Foundation
http://www.bloorview.ca

Yannick Bigourdan & David Lee
Philanthropy - 2007

Yannick Bigourdan and David Lee are not just your average fundraising volunteers. As co-owners of Splendido, one of Canada’s top fine dining restaurants and a favourite among Torontonians, they have hosted an annual fundraising dinner benefiting Bloorview for the past five years.

To date, Yannick and David have raised almost $250,000 to provide financial assistance to families in financial need so that their children can attend the specialized Nursery School Program that Bloorview offers. These programs enable children with disabilities to socialize with their peers while receiving on-going education, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech-language consultation.

“These two men have changed the lives of so many children by allowing them access to nursery school programs that cater to their special needs,” says Karen Ward, Manager of Bloorview’s Nursery School Programs.

Building on the notable success of their annual Splendido Dinner fundraiser, these two outstanding men also created the Recipes for Possibility initiative – a calendar that features A-list chefs of Toronto’s culinary art scene and their mouth-watering recipes. In its first year, Recipes for Possibility raised $60,000. With their enthusiasm and creativity, they will be extending the reach of the 2008 calendar through a Globe and Mail sponsorship. The Globe and Mail has agreed to provide free distribution to all of its GTA subscribers in December 2007.

Yannick and David have endless energy and passion for Bloorview and have introduced Bloorview to numerous individuals, many of which are now committed donors. It’s only through volunteers like Yannick and David that the Bloorview Kids Foundation can continue to be successful. Thank you Yannick and David for being so inspiring!