On Friday, March 3, the annual motionball Toronto Gala returned to fill the city’s sprawling Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex with 2500 influential young professionals, who braved a massive thundersnow storm for the occasion. After all, motionball is never one to miss. The event raises important funds for Special Olympics Canada Foundation. The foundation supports Special Olympics Canada, a sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities and physical disabilities.
The gala was started by Toronto brothers Paul, Mark, and Sean Etherington back in 2002, who were familiar with the cause, having volunteered for the Special Olympics alongside their parents for years.
As always, the stars of the show were the athletes themselves at this year’s gala.
The VIP portion of the evening included a three-course dinner with 40 Special Olympics athletes, sponsors, and VIP guests, including Tessa Virtue, Sid Seixeiro, Pooja Handa, and Glenn MacDonell, President and CEO of Special Olympics Ontario. Hosted by Breakfast Television’s Devo Brown, musical performances included Dr. Draw, Scott Jackson, Cary Shields, Cella, and Ari Reinoso who brought the gala’s fashionable guests and Special Olympics athletes together on the dance floor — where many stayed all night.
Guests also enjoyed palomas, Aperol Spritzes, and other specialty cocktails from Tito’s Vodka, Campari, and Grand Marnier, with fresh COPS doughnuts available throughout the night and much-appreciated late-night pizza from Pizzaville.
A jam-packed silent auction included everything from Raptors and Leaf’s tickets to getaways in California and Muskoka and more.
This year’s gala raised $250,000 net for the Special Olympics Canada Foundation.