Canadians turn Christmas' ball into charity event
Canadians turn Christmas' ball into charity event
JAKARTA (JP): It's almost Christmas, the most festive time of
the year. It's time to have fun, but also to serve the needy.
Responding to the ongoing crisis, the Canadian-Indonesian
business community is turning its annual Christmas social events
into charity fund raisers.
Director of the Indonesia Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC)
Doug Tingey said that the net proceeds from this year's Maple
Leaf Ball, its 20th anniversary, would be used to help
Indonesians who have suffered most because of the crisis.
"Clearly this year, all sections of society are going through
a radical transformation.
Why should the ways expats amuse themselves be any different?
That's why we're calling on all expat business and social
organizations to use their Christmas social events to raise money
for our neighbors here in Indonesia," Tingey said.
Anyone can attend the ball, which is scheduled to be held at
the Hotel Regent's ballroom on Saturday, Dec. 5. It includes
formal dinner and dancing and costs Rp 600,000 (US$80) per
person, or Rp 6 million for a table of 10.
Tingey said the ball starts at 7 p.m. when the Canadian
ambassador will toss the first snowball, followed by dinner at 8
p.m. and dancing until dawn.
This year's event, which is called Pretty Dingin, Eh? (Pretty
Cold, Eh?), will have a theme of a Canadian winter in Jakarta.
Those who take part in the event will be entertained with
music by The Yeah-Yeah Boys and Jakarta Funky, while a DJ will
play nonstop music for dancing.
According Michelle Villeneuve, chairwoman of the Canadian
Women's Association's social welfare committee, the money will be
used to support a number of programs, but especially those that
help poor children stay healthy and in school, as well as helping
those who are sick.
She said that it was hard to imagine how difficult life had
become for some people here and how much harder it was to obtain
basic needs such as food and education.
"And one of our biggest worries is that recent events, as
troubling as they are, will overshadow the day-to-day needs our
neighbors have," Villeneuve said. "Reformation starts with a full
belly."
She said that the funds would be used to support organizations
selected based on their activities and efficiency at using
outside contributions.
The donations will be monitored by CWA, and all groups
sponsored will be held accountable for the money they receive.
For further information, call Michelle Villeneuve 021 564
1519, or email Gary MacDonald at mgary@ibm.net. (ste)