Held after a three-year pandemic hiatus, the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation’s 18th annual Parade of Chefs raised a total of $192,000.
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The Chatham Armory was transformed into the RBC Royal Palace, hosting 350 guests, for the recent event titled, ‘A Royal Affair with Local Flair.’
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Celebrity host for the evening, Chef Darren McGrady, previously served as the personal chef for Queen Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Princes William and Harry for 15 years.
In addition to providing first-hand stories about his time with the royal family, he also curated the evening’s five-course menu.
Each course was prepared by chefs from local restaurants, made with locally-sourced ingredients, and paired with a variety of beverages donated by local wineries, breweries, and distilleries.
“There are so many people and organizations that had a hand in the success of this year’s event, including our sponsors and guests, our local chefs, restaurants and in-kind vendors, our auction donors, and of course the countless volunteers who helped to pull it all together,” Christine Colautti, foundation president and CEO, said in a release.
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“It truly takes a village for events like this to come to life and have such a positive impact on our community, and we were blessed to have the support of so many community leaders who stepped up and helped make it happen.”
Proceeds from the event will support the purchase of an Ortho Vision – Swift Analyzer for the laboratory transfusion medicine department at CKHA.
It will help automate a variety of blood tests, allowing the lab to provide safe and compatible blood for patients more efficiently, while reducing turnaround times.
“I was delighted to see this event return for the first time since 2019, and to witness first-hand the generosity of this wonderful community,” Lori Marshall, health alliance president and CEO, said in the release.
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“The emergency department, obstetrics, surgical department, operating room, ambulatory care, and the oncology/cancer clinic are among the areas most connecting on transfusion medicine services, so the strong support that this event received will have a significant impact on many local patients , when they need it the most.”
The event was made possible through many corporate partner organizations, including Precise ParkLink, the presenting sponsor.
Other key partners included Royal Palace sponsor, RBC Royal Bank, celebrity host sponsor, TD, and the sponsor for the VIP reception, Apollo Property Management and Development.
The 2023 Parade of Chefs planning committee, chaired by Karen Ewald, was also noted for its dedication in making the event a success.
“Through events like this, the generous support of our community partners, donors and volunteers has a major impact on local patients and their families, and without that support, our foundation simply wouldn’t be where it is today,” board chair Bob Hockney said.
“Patients really are at the center of everything we do, and because of the support that we receive day in and day out, we continue to be able to do so much more.”
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