Spaghetti Dinner Benefits the @bbbsWestIsland #Canada150 #Montreal
The pasta was tasty, the atmosphere festive and smiles were aplenty at last night’s Spaghetti Dinner benefiting the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the West Island hosted by Rhonda Massad of the West Island Blog. The 130 or so guests were greeted to tables lined with cutlery, green and white balloons and smiling faces all around.
The Big Brothers and Big Sisters of West Island has been doing some amazing work in the community since 1975. In 1998 they launched an Elementary In-School Mentoring program. They also receive funding from Centraide and West Island Community Shares as well as fundraising efforts throughout the year.
The Spaghetti Dinner was a tremendous success in large part to the efforts of so many dedicated volunteers led by Rhonda. She knows how to rally the community like few others and when she says come out to support this great cause, people show up.
I was proud to attend the dinner and support Rhonda, the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of West Island as well as schmooze with city Councillors. Mayor Jim Beis of Pierrefonds and MP Francis Scarpaleggia took time out of their busy schedules to join the event.
Communities are not built with magic wands, they are built with the efforts of everyday people like you and I. They are built by people who care enough to sacrifice their precious time and make the effort to get to know their neighbours, volunteer, mentor a child and pay it forward.
Local business owners and vendors were gracious enough to donate some incredible prizes, including flower delivery subscriptions, gym memberships, oil changes and even an Xbox One. I was lucky enough to walk away with some pretty awesome raffle prizes myself!
While attendees mingled and munched away on their pasta dinner, Rhonda called out winning numbers and everyone cheered along. It was a fun night for a great cause and I am so glad to have been invited.
Thanks so much for this beautiful post!! I am not used to people writing about our events!! I love it – you are hired!!!
A healthy family is at the heart of our happiness, a healthy community is at the heart of a life filled with support for that family. I am so grateful that our community leaders saw fit to interview us both that day in Ottawa earlier this year. I was honored to be asked to interview our MP’s alongside you. I enjoyed my “political” day but walked away with so much more. A new friend who shares my passion for our community!! XOXO Rhonda