Party photos of the week: Salama Shield Foundation fundraiser
"Some kids in Uganda don’t know what a dream is – we take dreams for granted,” said a teary-eyed Luke Willms, assistant director of the The Salama Shield Foundation at their inaugural fundraiser in Toronto last week. With a mission to challenge the local charity circuit to ensure the focus of the evening was really about the cause – not the party, as it often is at these events – Mr. Willms and his father, Dr. Dennis Willms, who founded the organization, gave heartfelt remarks that left the intimate crowd of 120 feeling happily humble. In addition to the Willms family, a representative from their Ugandan office, Hope Kyarisiima, gave a first-hand account of her hometown situation and thanked guests for donating their time and money by saying, “It’s humbling you take the time to think of us – we’re not your problem.” The evening raised more than $20,000 for the foundation’s childhood, youth and adult programming that focuses on education, health, and finance.
Naomi AndrewsRyan Emberley for The Globe and Mail
Clara Geffriaud (left), Jack VeryzerRyan Emberley for The Globe and Mail
Hope KyarisiimaRyan Emberley for The Globe and Mail
Jennifer Kelk (left), Jaclyn LavigneRyan Emberley for The Globe and Mail
Paul Smith (left), Ian GrahamRyan Emberley for The Globe and Mail
Dennis Willms (left), Luke WillmsRyan Emberley for The Globe and Mail
Luke WillmsRyan Emberley for The Globe and Mail
Heather Williams (left), Justine PaquetteRyan Emberley for The Globe and Mail
Stephen ShawRyan Emberley for The Globe and Mail
Ryan Emberley for The Globe and Mail
Ryan Emberley for The Globe and Mail
Ryan Emberley for The Globe and Mail
Ryan Emberley for The Globe and Mail