Living Luxe: Evening Celebrates Inclusive Lives, Benefits People with Developmental Disabilities in BC

September 15, 2011 - Vancouver - Living Luxe, a benefit evening for the BC Association for Community Living, raised $35,000 on Thursday night in Vancouver in support of the community living movement. The event was held at CBC Studio 700 in downtown Vancouver and featured fine foods, wines and beers and memorable silent and live auctions in support of BCACL's work advocating for the opportunities and rights of people with developmental disabilities and their families.

Living Luxe, emceed by CBC's Stephen Quinn, was supported by a number of community partners, including platinum sponsors Gourmet Republik, which provided all fine savoury foods for the event, and the Original Cakerie, which provided sweets, cakes and desserts. Guests enjoyed the delicious treats of the evening while bidding on silent and live auction items. 

Attendees eagerly bid on auction items, ranging from getaways in Whistler, the Okanagan and Sun Peaks to arts, beauty and restaurant certificates, DJ services, jewelry, golf outings, handbags, and many more prizes donated by BC merchants and businesses. 

"The best part of tonight's event was sharing this experience with so many people who are deeply committed to full inclusion and citizenship for people with developmental disabilities and their families. Living Luxe is about the luxury that we should all have in our lives, the luxury of community and a full life," said Rory Summers, President of the BCACL Foundation. 

Silver event sponsors Firefly Fine Wines and Ales, Sound Explosion Entertainment, Onni Group, Elephant Island Orchard Wines, Russell Brewing Company and West Coast Chocolate Festival supported the event with cash and in-kind donations, as did Granville Island Florist, Hampton Inn and Suites by Hilton, Dupuis Langen, Mayfair Properties and Rolfe Benson LLP. 

BCACL is a provincial, non-profit federation including individuals with developmental disabilities, their families, and over 60 community-based member agencies across BC dedicated to providing support and services.

BCACL will hold its next fundraising event, its second annual Reason to Care Art Sale on March 3, 2012 at Heritage Hall in Vancouver. 

Photos by Kevin J. Mellis Photography www.kevinjmellisphotography.com