“A Recipe for Hope” was held Saturday, February 23rd 2008 at Centennial Hall, London Ontario. This fabulous fundraiser included a morning program “Roast, Toast and Reno’s” with three guest speakers. Our guests were treated to a light breakfast, and an informative morning that included Pat Malloy from Duo Building Ltd., Mary Arthur from ICI Paints as well as Michelle Koysta from Cuisinart Appliances who was generously sponsored by Kingsmill’s. Guests were also given time to shop the many exhibitors.

Once our patrons entered upstairs into the Centennial Hall they found a complete GCW Kitchen, a dining area and living space generously provided by Kingsmills that had been constructed on the main stage. Twenty plus hours went into the construction of this fabulous space. Special thanks to Drew Pelc and the incredibly talented folks at GCW Kitchens, Jim Hands and our wonderful friends at Kingsmills, Lynn Spence, Joanne Brockmann, and Gabi Brown.

The formal part of the afternoon was then underway under the guidance of our very talented Master of Ceremonies Jeff McArthur, of McArthur in the Morning, 103.9 The Hawk. Our Executive Director Lindey McIntyre provided a very warm welcome, updated the ongoing Research and thanked our generous corporate sponsors including, Prime Maple Leaf and GCW Custom Kitchens and Cabinetry Inc. at the Platinum Sponsorship level. We are very grateful with our ongoing support from our friends at London Audio who were Gold Level and at the Silver Level we had All Staff, Brouwer Plumbing, Delta, Duo Building Ltd, Rembrandt Homes, Scotiabank as well as the Wastell Builders Group. Our good friends at OMAC Mortgages once again sponsored the wine for our fabulous lunch!

The afternoon program included a “Take Home Chef” - Martini Bar contest sponsored by Burling and Griffith Flooring, which saw one lucky patron win a fabulous “Dinner for Eight” in their home prepared by Chef James Meadows of Decadent Catering. Guests were invited to participate in the amazing silent auction that included over 150 items. Chef Bruno Pace from Steel Grill lived up to his reputation and provided us with a delectable meal.

Guest speakers included Lynn Spence style expert on Cityline TV who inspired us with her sensible, sophisticated style. We were then treated by the Food Networks Chef at Large and Chef at Home, Chef Michael Smith. What an honour. Chef Smith was better then we could have hoped for! He inspired us with his philosophy of food and family.

This fundraising event took many months of organising and planning and would not have been possible without many dedicated volunteers. We are extremely grateful to everyone for their generosity of time and talent. It couldn’t happen without you.

And finally we are grateful to everyone who attended. With your generous support the research continues, as we all continue to offer hope to the children and their families who suffer with the devastation of Leukodystrophy.

Wow …. OMAC presents The Hawk Rocks the Park – Back 4 More! What a week-end. Over 32,000 screaming fans joined us in Harris Park, London, ON for three fabulous nights of classic rock! From July 26th thru 28th, 2007 these dedicated rockers stood in the sun and the rain to enjoy the best Rock the Park ever!! They came from Toronto, Detroit, Buffalo, Chicago, Montreal, Thunder Bay, Quebec City and all around the great City of London to rock with the likes of Deep Purple, Cheap Trick, Nazareth, Pat Benator & Neil Giraldo, George Thorogood, Ted Nugent, CCR and many, many more…

Together with our Volunteer Team and our wonderful partners, Brad Jones of Don Jones Productions, Michael Scott from Ford Keast and the terrific staff of CKDK-FM 103.9 – The Hawk including Michele Dyer , Kent Guy, Jeff McArthur our Foundation raised over $252,000.00 for MLD Research. In just three years this Festival designed by Brad Jones has raised over $680,000.00 for “Bethanys Hope Leukodystrophy Research Laboratory” operating right here in the City of London.

Events like The Hawk Rocks the Park would not be possible without great corporate sponsorship and we were very fortunate to have the best. It was indeed a privilege to once again work with President Gord Fisher and his ISM Security Group, President David Providenti from O.M.A.C. Mortgages, the folks at Molson Canada, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Domino’s Pizza, Rogers, Coca Cola, Delta Hotels, Leon’s, London Major Appliance, Raymond Brothers, Aboutown Taxi, The London Free Press, the City of London and St. John Ambulance to name a few. A very special thank-you to our long time friends Andy and Kirk Thompson of Can-Am RV Centre for very graciously donating all the RV units for the week-end. Very much appreciated indeed.

Once again our Foundation was blessed with 210 dedicated, hard working Volunteers with over half from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a large contingent of young men and women from area McDonald’s Restaurants , folks from Scotiabank and Ford Keast Chartered Accountants. Without their energy and enthusiasm there would be no Show! Many of these folks took vacation time to join hands with us to raise this much needed Research capitol. They too stood shoulder to shoulder in the rain and the heat to serve those ice cold Molson products, provide ice water, sell the much sought after souvenirs, provide directions/information as well as maintain the cleanliness of our beautiful Harris Park. Those orange clad Park Rangers rock !!!! Our Foundation is truly grateful to them for their tireless efforts on behalf of the children of Leukodystrophy.

Thanks to all who came to party or work at OMAC presents The Hawk Rocks the Park 4….. you are all making a difference in the lives of the children and families who suffer each day with the devastation of Leukodystrophy. We could not do this without you!!

Hope to see you all at The Hawk Rocks the Park 5 … July 24th to 26th 2008!

On Wednesday, May 9th local McDonald’s Restaurants celebrated McHappy Day 2007. Because of your support and participation this years event was an outstanding success!

With your help, McDonald’s Restaurants dedicated crew, along with local community leaders, celebrities and generally very important persons raised more than $28,402.88 in support of Bethanys Hope Foundation and the London Ronald McDonald House.

This all adds up to a lot of good reasons to be “McHappy” ! Thank you to McDonald’s Restaurants and their dynamic “crew”…..truly another partner in hope !!

On Saturday March31st, 2007 we gathered with over 430 patrons to celebrate another "Afternoon of Design" fundraising event. Included this year was a breakfast seminar affectionately called "Roast, Toast and Reno’s". Guests who attended the morning portion of the day were treated to presentations by three experts in the field of Kitchen Reno’s, Gardening and Window treatments. Breakfast was provided by our friends at McDonald’s!

Doors opened at 10:00 am so guests could visit with the 16 exhibitors and spend time scouting out the amazing silent auction table which included more then 160 items.

We were pleased to have Sarah St. Amand join us as the special guest speaker and then the guests of honour Steven Sabados and Chris Hyndman hit the stage but not before making their way through the crowds of screaming women. What a thrill!

It takes many hearts and hands to make an event like this happen. We deeply appreciate the amazing sponsors that so generously supported this event. It would not have been possible without the dedication of the many volunteers who assisted before and during the day. A very special thanks to the President Ryan Gauss and the wonderful young men from the Acacia Fraternity - the University of Western Ontario! Thank you for taking the time to make a difference... hope is in our hands.

On Thursday, September 28th, 2006 the members of Bethanys Hope Foundation hosted its third Volunteer/Sponsor Appreciation evening. A thank-you celebration for the 200 plus volunteers/sponsors who made “Rock the Park III” such successful fundraising event. This fundraising week-end is Volunteer driven and because of their commitment to our Foundation, “Rock the Park” has become known as a very safe, clean and professionally operated festival. This year we hosted record numbers in Harris Park with at least 10,000 fans a night enjoying the music!

Teams are created, friendships are made and the overall experience of participating as a Volunteer at “Rock the Park” is amazing. At Bethanys Hope Foundation we are often thanked for “allowing” folks to volunteer. We are very fortunate to have such dedicated group of friends willing to give up countless hours, take time off work and go on very little sleep over this period of 3 to 7 days. Our Volunteers really do “Rock”.

“The ultimate expression of generosity is not in giving of what you have, but in giving of who you are.”

On Monday September 11th, 2006 Tiger Jack’s Bar and Grill of London, Ontario hosted their 8th annual “Tiger in the Woods” Charity Golf Tournament for Bethanys Hope Foundation. As in the past proceeds from this Tournament benefited the research being conducted at “Bethanys Hope Leukodystrophy Research Laboratory”.

Golfer’s began the day at Tiger Jack’s on Wharncliffe Road with registration, a fabulous Carlos Buffet Breakfast and then off to Echo Valley Golf & Country Club for the Tournament. After an enjoyable day of golf and many creative ways to spend some “cash” the participants made their way back to the restaurant. Here they were treated to an unbelievable scrumptious feast, fabulous prize table, silent auction opportunities and an amazing display of live auction items. These folks always ensure that no one walks away empty handed !!

The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Mr. Rick DeJager and the guest speakers this year included Dr. Tony Rupar, David McIntyre and Jim Chapman. Once again the room enjoyed the enthusiasm of Brain Mortimer and Terry Provost as they ran the Live Auction for the evening. Thank-you to the many sponsors, donors, volunteers and participants. Your generous donations in time, talent and cash enabled us to provide Dr. Rupar and his Medical Team with more than $28,000.00 for their Research Program. Wow ! Another record donation for the Laboratory thanks to Rick, Carlos and their wonderful Team!!

It is hard to find the words to describe the atmosphere at Tiger Jack’s that night as the patrons of the “Tiger in the Woods” opened their hearts as usual and dug deep in their wallets to set yet another funding record. Thank-you is simply not enough when it comes to expressing our gratitude to Tiger Jack’s owners Rick DeJager and Carlos Sotelo who spend countless hours each year planning every detail. Their commitment and compassion to make a difference for the children and families of Leukodystrophy is infectious…. we couldn’t be more grateful. A very special thank-you to Rob DeJager, Mike DeJager, and the Tiger Jack Staff. Indeed our “Hero’s of Hope”.

Congratulations Tiger Jack’s Bar & Grill ….. You’re the best!

Wow …. OMAC presents The Hawk Rocks the Park III !!! What a week-end. Almost 30,000 screaming fans from all over Ontario and Michigan joined us in Harris Park, London, ON for three fabulous nights of classic rock! From July 20th thru 22nd, 2006 these dedicated rockers stood in the sun and the rain to enjoy the best Rock the Park ever!! They came from Toronto, Detroit, Buffalo, Chicago, Montreal, Thunder Bay and all around the great City of London to rock with the likes of Alice Cooper, Styx, Peter Frampton, Vince Neil, Eddie Money, Loverboy, Kim Mitchell, April Wine, Quiet Riot, Helix, Sega and many, many more...

Together with our Volunteer Team and our wonderful partners, Brad Jones of Don Jones Productions, Michael Scott from Ford Keast and the terrific staff of CKDK-FM 103.9 – The Hawk including Michele Dyer , Kent Guy, Dan Walker, Leigh Robert, Jeff McArthur our Foundation raised over $180,000.00 for MLD Research. In just three years this Festival developed by Brad Jones has raised over $425,000.00 for Bethanys Hope Leukodystrophy Research Laboratory operating right here in the City of London.

Events like The Hawk Rocks the Park would not be possible without great corporate sponsorship and we were very fortunate to have the best. It was indeed a privilege to work Gord Fisher and his ISM Security Group, President David Providenti from O.M.A.C. Mortgages, the folks at Molson Canada, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Domino’s Pizza, Rogers, Coca Cola, Delta Hotels, Leon’s, London Major Appliance, Raymond Brothers, Aboutown Taxi, The London Free Press, the City of London and St. John Ambulance to name a few. A very special thank-you to our long time friends Andy and Kirk Thomson of Can-Am RV Centre for very graciously donating all the RV units for the week-end. Very much appreciated indeed.

Once again our Foundation was blessed with almost 200 dedicated, hard working Volunteers with over half from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a large contingent of young men and women from area McDonald’s Restaurants , folks from Scotiabank and Ford Keast Chartered Accountants. Without their energy and enthusiasm there would be no Show! Many of these folks took vacation time to join hands with us to raise this much needed Research capitol. They too stood shoulder to shoulder in the rain and the heat to serve those ice cold Molson products, provide ice water, sell the much sought after souvenirs, provide directions/information as well as maintain the cleanliness of our beautiful Harris Park. Those orange clad Park Rangers rock !!!! Our Foundation is truly grateful to them for their tireless efforts on behalf of the children of Leukodystrophy.

Thanks to all who came to party or work at OMAC presents The Hawk Rocks the Park III... you are all making a difference in the lives of the children who suffer each day with the devastation of Leukodystrophy. We could not do this without you!!

Hope to see you all at The Hawk Rocks the Park IV... July 19th to 21st 2007!

On Saturday April 1st, 2006 Bethanys Hope Foundation celebrated the first of what we hope becomes an annual “Afternoon of Design”. What an exciting day, that saw more than 450 home decorating enthusiasts gather for an informative fun filled day of decorating and entertainment. This amazing day included 15 exhibitors, over 140 awesome silent auction items, door prizes and a martini bar sponsored by none other then Ani Jewellers – Masonville Place. Their very generous donated package included a beautiful circle of life necklace for each person that purchased a martini and a chance to win a stunning hand crafted pendant valued at over $2,000.

All our guest were delighted with our special guest speaker, Sharon Grech from Benjamin Moore and Cityline TV. Of course the “stars” of the afternoon were Steven Sabados and Chris Hyndman from HGTV’s - Design Rivals! It was truly a wonderful day with all funds raised going directly to the Research being conducted at the Bethanys Hope Leukodystrophy Research Laboratory right here in London.

The commitment from the local business community made this fundraising event a huge success. A very special thank-you to our wonderful Platinum Sponsors at Benjamin Moore as well as our Gold Sponsors at Wastell Builders Group, Duo Building Ltd., Scotiabank, Canadian Staging, Brizo and Rembrandt Homes. We are grateful to the exhibitors who were generous with their time and talent to create an extremely professional show. A sincere thank-you also to Kingsmill’s who created the stunning stage and David Providenti of OMAC Mortgages for providing the wine that accompanied the gourmet lunch. A huge thank-you to Mark Fagan of @ Print who came to our rescue at the last minute to ensure the programmes were completed in time for the event. Last but not least thank-you to Paula and Vahe Kossain of Ani Jewellers who generously donated the stunning “Circle of Life” pendants for the “Mad about Martini Raffle”.

We could not have done without the many hearts and hands that came together to ensure the success of “An Afternoon of Design”, including the music of Mr. Glenn Bennett as well as Mrs. Brenda Heard and her tremendous Team at the Western Fair. We are looking forward to next year’s event being bigger and better. Don’t be disappointed …..circle your calendars for March 31st, 2007 and we’ll see you again at the Carousel Room