Marlene Gallyot (right) and Dorothy Tam (left), CFRE, Director, Major and Planned Gifts

On Saturday, June 7th , a fundraising dinner and dance was held to assist the many children and families in developing countries who are struggling to survive in the wake of a growing food crisis due to the dramatically increased costs of grain.

Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC) welcomed 200 guests from all different walks of life who came out to show their support.

Marlene Gallyot co-organizer of the event, attended a Catholic High School in Chennai, India as a child.  It was there that she witnessed first-hand the benefits of CCFC child sponsorship programs.  Now as an adult living in Canada, Ms Gallyot decided to initiate the fundraiser to give back to the organization that had helped so many children. The successful event was co-hosted with Dorothy Tam, Manager, Major and Planned Gifts, CCFC.

Guest speakers included Deputy Mayor, Jack Heath, The Honourable MPP of Thornhill, Mr. Peter Shurman and former talk show host from CFRB Radio, as well as Mr. Peter Kent, candidate for MP Thornhill and the first journalist to lead CBC's The National and anchor for The Journal.

Peter Kent praised CCFC and the way it used donations to further its aims. He also spoke of the importance of its activities, saying that his forty years as a journalist had brought him to many foreign countries where he had been personally impacted by the poverty of millions of people.