UWI Toronto gala reaches 10-year landmark

April 8, 2019

It started with a meeting 11 years ago at the University of the West Indies Mona campus in Jamaica.

Desperately in need of funds to help Caribbean students pursue higher education, the late Raymond Chang and his wife Donette Chin-Loy Chang agreed to be patrons of a major fundraiser in Toronto on one condition. Close friend and medical practitioner Dr. Herbert Ho Ping Kong had to be the event chair.

This year marked the 10th anniversary of the signature event that has raised about $2 million that has allowed nearly 500 Caribbean students – many of them the first in their family — to pursue post-secondary education and fulfill their dream of graduating from university and becoming assets to their countries.

With the generous support of lead sponsor Scotiabank, other companies and individuals, the lives of hundreds of young people have been transformed in the last decade.

Also, 76 phenomenal leaders from around the world have been honoured at the event attended by about 4,500 guests since 2010.

Co-patrons Donette Chin-Loy Chang and Brigitte Chang-Addorisio with her children Lucas and Savanna (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

UWI chief fundraiser Elizabeth Buchanan-Hind (c) flanked by event co-patron Brigitte Chang-Addorisio (r) and Jamaica Observer Lifestyle & Social Content senior associate editor Novia McDonald-Whyte (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

Honourary patron Wesley Hall and his wife Christine (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

UWI Vice-Chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles and his wife Mary (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

UWI Chancellor Robert Bermudez (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

Co-patron Donette Chin-Loy Chang (l), honourary co-chair Bruce Bowen & committee member Lucy La Grassa (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

G. Raymond Chang Award winner Mohamad Fakih, the founder of Paramount Fine Foods, with his wife Hanan and children Adam, Karim & Emad (r) (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

Vice-Chancellor Award winner Greg Regis & his wife Althea (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

Vice-Chancellor Award recipient Dr. Juliet Daniel (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

Joy Spence, the world’s first female master blender, was presented with a Vice-Chancellor Award (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

Luminary Award winners Damian “Junior Gong” Marley and Deborah Cox (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

UWI Mona Campus senior policy research officer and Justice of the Peace Jermaine Nairne was one of the first recipients of a UWI Toronto Benefit Gala scholarship (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

Howard Brown was the recipient of a UWI Toronto Benefit Gala scholarship in 2018 (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

Robert Bermudez (r) presented the Chancellor’s Award to hotelier Gordon “Butch” Stewart (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

Suzanne Bowen (l) & her daughter Kandiss Fernando (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

Canadian Women’s Foundation President & CEO Paulette Senior (c) with her niece Raisha Senior-Pinnock (l) & close friend Sharilyn Hale (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

Sisters Hermia & Erya Abraham (l) with Dr. Lancelot Brown and his daughter Rebecca Brown (r) (Photo by Ron Fanfair)

First-time gala attendees Samantha Chong (l) & Nhi Bui (Photo by Ron Fanfair)