Saturday, October 23, 2010

7:00 pm – 11:00 pm

Kingston Banquet and Conference Centre

33 Benson St., Kingston (Division & 401) 613 - 546 - 3661

On the evening of October 23, 2010, we will be hosting an inaugural fund-raising event titled Share the Harvest, to be held at the Kingston Banquet and Conference Centre. The aims of the event are three-fold: (a) to celebrate locally grown foods and wines (food will be prepared by Clark Day) as well as local artists, musicians, and businesses, (b) to educate our guests about the many riches in our community and about the programs at Wintergreen, and (c) to stimulate further program development and outreach through the establishment of an endowed fund to support Wintergreen’s work.

The event will not be a “sit down dinner,” but rather, “a stand up feast”! In addition to the local foods and wines, the ticket price will include spotlight musical performances by Kingston and area musicians, inspiring thoughts offered by Adria Vasil, author of Ecoholic, a silent auction, and exhibits from local businesses. We expect 300 attendees at the event. Tickets are $140, and a portion of the ticket price will be receipted as a charitable donation.

Save the date – reserve your ticket now. We're still planting seeds, but we'll keep you posted on how the event is growing!

Tickets: $140

Purchase your ticket here

Food and Wine

There will be food and wine available throughout the evening, featuring foods from local farms and wineries. There will be a wide range of seasonal dishes to sample, expertly prepared by Clark Day with the harvests from the Kingston area, matched with local wines. As you enjoy the food and wine, connect with the farmers who produced it. More details coming soon!

Entertainment

Several Kingston musicians and bands will entertain us – short sets, a variety of styles, and music to dance to as the evening unfolds. Stay posted...

Silent Auction and Displays

Beautiful mixed media, fused glass, prints, and sculpted pieces from Kingston area artists, as well as many items donated by local businesses will be available for silent auction. Contributors to the silent auction will be listed on our website when pieces are confirmed, and acknowledged in the printed program that will be received by guests when they arrive at the gala. Exhibitors will likewise be acknowledged both on our website and in the program.

Sponsors

We are currently seeking sponsorship from community organizations, corporations, and businesses. There are several levels of sponsorship, and all sponsors will be acknowledged in a variety of ways: on our website, on the program, on printed materials such as posters and brochures, and on radio segments. Sponsors will be announced at the gala throughout the evening.

Adria Vasil

Adria Vasil is probably best known for her book Ecoholic and her columns in NOW magazine. She will offer some simple solutions for greener living.

Adria Vasil's first book, Ecoholic, was a surprising bestseller – a nifty and authoritative guide for the thousands of us who are making the conscious effort to live greener, smarter, and healthier lives. Through her readable and comprehensive book, her popular green advice column, her public lectures, and her appearances on national television, Vasil helps regular people decipher legitimately green products and choices from the marketing greenwash now flooding store shelves. (What, for instance, does "all-natural" even mean?)

Vasil's writing, grounded in everyday concerns and people, has won praise from consumers, corporate audiences and environmentalists alike. David Suzuki says of Ecoholic (now in its sixth printing): "This book is for people who want to do something to lighten their impact on the planet. The small steps cost us little in the way of effort, money or time, but the cumulative effects can be enormous."

Adria Vasil's lectures are good fun and densely informative. Her typical audience is comprised of environmentalists and the uninitiated alike. Optimistic and plainspoken, she doesn't just talk about buying smarter products. She highlights the power in each of us to affect change, both as consumers and as citizens – to look critically at the world, to ask questions, and to act accordingly. Often times, she says, the best thing to do, for your wallet, for your health, and for the planet, is also the simplest thing to do. Her talks are not anti-consumer or anti-government; they're pro-awareness. And they showcase the immense charm and pragmatic ingenuity that have made her the hippest green speaker in North America.