© 2018 Photographs, Layout, Photographs and Article by TorontoArtsandEvents All Rights Reserved.
Canadian artists, philanthropists and leaders gathered at Rebel in Toronto on April 26, 2018 for the 6th annual Swim Drink Fish Gala Toronto. According to organizers, four hundred influential artists, philanthropists, athletes, and business leaders set a new fundraising record at this Gala by raising more than $550,000 which brought the gala’s fundraising tally to $2.4-million over the last five years. The live art auction was performed by fine art auctioneer, Stephen Ranger of Waddington’s. Stirring speeches about the need for swimmable, drinkable, fishable water were given by Waterkeeper founders Mark Mattson and the story of the birth of Swim Drink Fish movement.
The 2018 Ambassadors are: Bruce Langereis, Britt Standen, Dave Bidini, David Suzuki, Denise Donlo, Edward Burtynsky, Gail Percy Davis, Gord Downie (Honourary), Jennifer Baichwal, Karen Percy Lowe, Kenneth Irving, Kevin Lowe, Lauren Brown Hornor, Marilyn Bell, Nicholas de Pencier, Sarah Harmer, Shari Austin, Stephen Ranger, Tasha Irving and Wade Davis.
Stephen Ranger
Stephen is VP of Business Development at Waddington’s and has been in the fine art auction business for more than twenty-five years. He has been involved in some of the highest grossing auctions of Canadian art in the last ten years and pioneered the sale of Fine Wine at Canadian auctions. A long time supporter of this Gala, Stephen has helped raise $1.7-million for it.
About Swim Drink Fish
Since its launch in 2001, its mission is a “future where every person can safely touch the water that flows through their community, where that water is pure enough for drinking, and where waters are healthy and wild enough that fish and birds and plants thrive.” |Fresh clean water is necessary for life. They use science, law, education, and storytelling with technology to empower millions of people to know and safeguard their waters.
Swim Drink Fish operates four programs: Great Lakes Challenge, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, Swim Guide, and Watermark Project and delivers programs in Western Canada in collaboration with Fraser Riverkeeper and North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper. Each program has a specific mission that contributes to the goal of building a national movement of active, informed, and engaged individuals working to ensure their communities can swim, drink, and fish forever.
Founded in 2001, Swim Drink Fish is a registered Canadian charity that uses law, science, culture, and digital media to protect a swimmable, drinkable, fishable future. The organization’s flagship programs are Swim Guide, the Watermark Project, and a new Campaign for Water Literacy. For more information or to donate visit:
Swim Drink Fish Toronto: https://www.swimdrinkfish.ca
Swim Guide: http://www.theswimguide.org or
Watermark Project: http://www.watermarkproject.ca
The Swim Drink Fish Gala was a very successful event for a very worthy cause. Check back here for next year’s Gala.
© 2018 Photographs, Layout, Photographs and Article by TorontoArtsandEvents All Rights Reserved
