A stellar fundraiser for Variety's kids

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David Au photo Flo performs Saturday night.

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Maureen Scurfield / Winnipeg Free Press Variety gala gang (from left) Jim Ingebrigtsen, Shanlee Johnson, Nancy Militano, Janet McLeod and Wayne Rogers.

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Maureen Scurfield / Winnipeg Free press Mark Kelley, Sir Terry Matthews

‘THERE’S No Business Like Show Business" was the exciting theme for the gala staged by Variety, the Children’s Charity last Saturday night at the convention centre. Close to 500 ticket holders danced and listened to musical performances from Annie and The Music Man. The entertainers? University of Winnipeg musical theatre students Stephanie Sy and Jeremy Walmsley, and preteen performers Tristan MacKid, Lindsay McLeod and Marissa McNaughtan. Strolling magicians and MC Jim Ingebrigtsen kept the group well-amused.

 And it was a stellar fundraising machine. "This gala raised over $130,000 for Variety's kids," said organizer Nancy Militano, who credits Gregg Maidment, the auctioneer, with a great part of their success. "He got the room going and emotional about the kids, and it was the most money we've raised in years."

Spotted: Recently retired Winnipeg Blue Bomber Obby Khan, stylish Sylvia Kuzyk acting as the honorary chairwoman, and the dapper Louis Trepel, the Variety International Ambassador. Also having a ball at the ball: Tom Bryk, CEO of Cambrian Credit Union; Norva Riddell Sr., VP sales and marketing for True North; Helen Halliday, GM of Delta Winnipeg; Doug Stephen of Wow! Hospitality; politico Kerri Irvin-Ross and David Chan of W.K. Chan Jewellers.

LISTEN UP, KIDS! Billionaire knight Sir Terry Matthews, who has more in common with star Tom Jones than their Welsh ancestry, commanded the stage at the Wednesday-night interview with CBC's Mark Kelley. Matthews was animated, opinionated, theatrical and very wise -- a riveting guest for hundreds of Winnipeg business people gathered at the Information and Communication Technologies Association of Manitoba (ICTAM) dinner. Premier Greg Selinger, himself, brought the greetings to Sir Terry and the crowd. J.P. Peron, vice-president of Enterprise Solutions Manitoba, MTS, introduced the speaker, while CBC's enjoyable upstart Janet Stewart took questions from the floor and asked a prickly one herself.

Matthews, who now has 90 companies to his credit, is well-known as chairman of Mitel and Wesley Clover, and says some of his ideas for improving Canadian business now have the ear of Finance Minister Jim Flaherty. Like an enthusiastic professor, he taught the audience a half-dozen rules for taking a startup company to glory. Noted by yours truly right off the top -- a preponderance of Chucks in the audience -- Chuck La Fleche of the St. Boniface Hospital Foundation, Chuck Loewen, president of ICTAM and CEO of Online Business Systems, and Chuck Davidson, VP of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. Also spotted: Dave Wilkie and Leighton Wiebe of Virtucom (Virtual World Conventions and Dating), Free Press sales director Tracy Mainland and aptly named business writer Martin Cash, plus Manitoba Chamber of Commerce president Graham Starmer, the Manitoba Tourism Council's Shannon Fontaine, plus CEO of Yes! Winnipeg Bill Morrissey.

When Sir Matthews started winding up, he compared future jobs digging up and selling our resources to jobs involving revolutionary high tech, and said loudly, "I like the brainpower jobs!" bringing a clamour of loud applause.

BEST FREEBIE! Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet will be hosting a free open rehearsal for the upcoming production of Pure Ballet Friday, May 4 in the Founders' Studio at the RWB Building, 380 Graham Ave., from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Reservations must be made fast (956-2792).

BEST BET THIS WEEKEND: You know the night is going to be hot when a headliner opens for a headliner. Amy Bishop has just been added as a warm-up at the Grant & Wilton Coffee House for the much-awaited Flo show Saturday night, April 28. Psst! her real name is Florence Oramasionwu. "That name isn't even a common name in Nigeria," she laughs. "I'm related to everyone in the world with that last name. Now a third hot act, flamenco guitar player Jim Shewchuk, will also be playing before the main act and music producer/entertainer Arun Chaturvedi is accompanying Flo on keyboards. "If we're not careful, it's going to be terrific!" laughs organizer Phil Spevack. Tickets $15 at the door. Get there by 7 p.m. to get a seat, start time 7:30 p.m.

Got tips, events, sightings, unusual things going on? Call Maureen's tip line at 474-1116, email Maureen.Scurfield@Winnipegfreepress.com or send mail to The Insider, c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, R2X 3B6.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 27, 2012 B2