8 ball pool tournament, 2012 in support of Walls of Hope

Last Year, our inaugural gala was sold out and we had to unfortunately decline those who wanted to attend at the last minute. Response after the gala, through our website, social media channels and friends approaching Walls of Hope members, was positively overwhelming. Those who did not get the chance to attend voiced they wished they could have.

This year we have expanded to accommodate the demand. Our team of Walls of Hope leadership and volunteers are faithfully giving their time to bring another fabulous night.

Tickets are on sale now and will be available until Feb 25, 2012.

Call 416-844-9241 or 647-881-1010 or go to: info@wallsofhopecanada.org 

Walls of Hope Gala March 1, 2012

Walls of Hope and Walls of Hope Dream Rooms wishes to extend our sincere gratitude to each of you who have helped to make 2011 a very remarkable year!

We are proud to say that we have achieved our mission for 7 consecutive years:
Healing Hearts – Transforming Homes (Lives) Restoring Hope 

Because of you…. we are who we are; making it possible to help all our Walls of Hope children and families
Because of you…. we, at Walls of Hope, get to experience the feeling of Christmas all year long.

We wish you and your loved ones a very merry, safe and joyous holiday season.

Sera and the Walls of Hope leadership team

A Great Xmas Gift or Night Out With Friends!

Celebrity Guests, Interactive fun for everyone with: our photo booth, the famous ”Demo Wall”, signature welcome drink, Crash Parallel performance and new 2012 surprises.

Take the opportunity to support a great cause and the many special families we help,
reconnect with Walls of Hope volunteers and supporters, meet new friends
and see for yourself what the Walls of Hope Experience is.

Eat – Drink – Laugh – Dance – Support – Make A Difference

Tickets – $125
Tables of 10 – $1125 (Save $125)
Corporate Tables – $1350 (includes Corp. signage on table and gala program)
Gala Sponsorship – Various opportunities to support a great cause and receive  Marketing and Advertising for your company

For Tickets or Inquiries Call: 647-881-1010 or 416-844-9241

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Exclusive-offer-for-you-.html?soid=1104039153307&aid=KUFUMK7PrAM

ABOUT WALLS OF HOPE:

Healing Hearts
Transforming Homes (Lives)
Restoring Hope

Walls of Hope is an Oakville Ontario based grassroots non-profit organization whose mission is to help families trying to help themselves – Restoring Hope. These families, in spite of their efforts, find the challenges they face are beyond their control. They are losing or have lost hope. We look for local families that have fallen on hard times, through no fault of their own, and are truly trying to change their lives for the better.

Walls of Hope renovates, customizes and/or decorates homes for these special families and provides them, when required, with resources and life tools to enrich their lives. It is no secret that our environment impacts how we feel and when we feel positive and have hope, things inevitably improve. This has proven to be a successful recipe.

Walls of Hope is now in our 7^th year, with successful major home makeovers for over 13 families, 3 public service organizations. We have recently expanded to offer DREAM ROOMS; amazing bedroom makeovers for children with life challenging illnesses.

Walls of Hope operates solely on community spirit, passionate volunteers and the selfless donations and support from business and private sectors.
Our 2^nd Annual Gala will provide funding for our 2012 projects.

Lead by Walls of Hope’s Carla Leyer and Wendi Speck; a small group of volunteers and Walls of Hope team leaders began the bedroom makeovers on Nov 4, 2011 and revealed the finished product on Nov 6.

Walls of Hope partnered with The ILC Foundation and Rob Ruso Ruso Development Inc who lead the charge in renovating the family home; which involved adding a small addition to the existing main floor family room. This allowed enough space for the family room to be transformed into a bedroom and adjoining custom bathroom to allow for Spencer’s special needs. For fire safety, an exterior door in the bedroom with a permanent ramp for ease of taking Spencer onto the backyard deck was added.

Walls of Hope’s, Dream Rooms team came in upon completion of the renovation to execute the amazing room plans that were designed specifically for the individual needs, characteristics and wishes of each child.

While Spencer’s room reflected his love of cars and the need for wheelchair access in/out/throughout his room; his sister, Samantha, was surprised with a new dream room fit for a princess when she was moved into Spencer’s original bedroom on the second floor. She was also presented with a custom designed purple helmet which she wears as a protective measure for epilepsy and the multiple seizures she endures each day.

For background on the “Special Room for Spencer” Project and the touching and inspiring life story of this very special family click here

Walls Hope wishes to thank everyone who played such an important role in
launching our new Dream Rooms division &
for helping to make our “dream” of
helping children with life challenging illnesses become a reality.

To Spencer, Samantha and their mom and dad; you are all very amazing people
who have inspired each of us who had the privilege to work on this project.
You have transformed our lives and given us hope!!

Enjoy a slideshow of the project or view each of the photos in the project gallery below.
To enlarged and view each photo; select any of the gallery pages and click on the first photo to view all of the photos for that specific page.

[Show as slideshow]

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Wall of Hope is pleased to announce the official date of our 2^nd annual gala.
Due to the overwhelming response to last year’s attendance and because of the incoming inquires for our 2012 Gala, we are announcing the gala date without all the finalized details.

We can say…this gala will be:
bigger , more interactive and entertaining than last year…
hard to believe?… it is true!
Word has it; that we were voted “one of the best galas to attend in 2011” Thank You!

We sincerely wish to acknowledge and thank OTELLO’S BANQUET HALL & CONFERNCE CENTRE (Remo, Joanne, Jackie and team) for their amazing support with our inaugural 2011 Gala.
Due to the success of last year’s gala and the overwhelming response to attend this year we,  regretfully, exceeded Otello’s capacity for our gala attendance in March 2012.

We are pleased to announce that we will be hosting our upcoming Hard Hats and Halos Gala with the support and sponsorship of OAKVILLE CONFERENCE CENTRE.

For information on how to obtain: Gala tickets, VIP/Sponsored tables, donate auction prizes and/or volunteer for our gala, please view on our site:

http://wallsofhopecanada.org/how-you-can-help/fundraising/ or
http://wallsofhopecanada.org/how-you-can-help/sponsor/

Thank you to everyone for your support!
We look forward to seeing you at our 2nd  annual Gala!

Over the last 6 years, the Walls of Hope team and anyone associated with one of our family projects, has seen and experienced the joy, smile, a twinkle in the eye or radiance of hope in one of our Walls of Hope children and their family when they view their room makeover for the first time.

At that moment, and for years to come, one cannot help experiencing and feeling: hearts that are beginning to heal, a life being transformed and the restoration of hope for each special child, their deserving family, volunteers and any person or company contributing to the project…It is truly a life impacting experience!

Walls of Hope is constantly faced with the dilemma of wanting/wishing to reach out and help so many deserving families. Realistically; we are a grassroots, nonprofit organization who depends solely on funding from the community, private & business sectors and support from our amazing volunteers and our team.

Recently, our leadership team determined that we could effectively expand our service offerings within our existing geographic area; providing more hope to and for more children and their families….and thus, Dream Rooms has become a reality

What’s unique about Dream Rooms?

• Dream Room projects are mini Walls of Hope projects created for children with life challenging illnesses
• A goal of Walls of Hope is to bring hope and happiness to a child; by transforming their bedroom into a bright, safe and uplifting haven
• A bedroom will be redesigned to reflect a child’s personality/dreams/challenges/wishes/life to bring a sense of reprieve from the life challenges they, and their family, are facing
  • These rooms will reflect who they are and their favorite things that bring a smile to their face and that twinkle in their eyes….Hope…
• Each project is completed in 3 days; so there is minimal disruption to the family home
• These special rooms are created with no cost to family; regardless of financial situation
• Our goal is raise enough funding to complete 6 Dream Room projects per year

There Has Been an Overwhelming Profound Effect Already…

Only weeks since: one selfless social worker, a group of more than 250+ volunteers (rotating shifts  throughout a 9 day period), a fund raising event (lead by a amazing teacher, Rick Pacini) with St Francis Xavier School & Mississauga School board, many contributors and suppliers who came together to extend a “lift up” to renovate and redecorate a home for a very special family.

This transformation is not merely because of renovations and aesthetics to the interior and exterior regions of a home.  More importantly; far above and beyond what this family has gratefully acknowledged and experienced, is what the Walls of Hope experience has elicited for all who were involved in this project and once again for our team!

“Something just happens to each of us, when we are part of this Walls of Hope expereince.
Each Project is different and yet in reaching out to help a family, the whole process:  teaches us, instills within us, allows us to gives back….. something that I cannot discribe/purchase or “fake”…it just is, it does…

You think you are giving back to a deserving family; but surprisingly  you receive and become so much more aware of/for yourself and what life is really all about.

It amazes me how a group of friends and strangers can come together in an organized and fun fashion to integrate: skills/personalities/timelines to just get it done and so very beautifully…..
I am utterly amazed from this experience. I am different and better person for it”
(Volunteer, Merl, 2011)

People from different walks of life, for various reasons, came together to make this a reality:

THANK- YOU To All of You:

• Who took time off work during the day and/or late into the night; joined in our own or as part of a team – day, night, sun, rain (sorry about the 2 major rain days…we don’t have direct connections with that area yet!)
• Little one’s and teens that came becaue their mom’s or dad’s had been there day(s) before
• All the teachers/staff (lead by Rick Pacini), the social worker (Rose Vetere), students and guests that just rocked the fund raiser for this family and/or came out to volunteer and support  this family
• From Lowes ( Brampton South Store up to Lowes head office), Tracy at Union Lighting and Furnishings, the Yard Duty Ladies, Agatha and her team for all draperies/window furnishings, Fabulous Dan, John, Al and the 2 Robs (contractor/paint/electric skills!), Rick and his amazing “Roomsnblooms” Landscaping team and many donators

Volunteers:
Young and old , skilled trades to general help,  from Walls of Hope team leaders and regular volunteers to so
many newcomers!  We should mention one amazing volunteer that spent her 60^th birthday in the pouring rain with a crew creating the backyard oaisis!
We thank and appreciate the patience of all neighbors who so kindly allowed us to come onto their street and supported what we were doing.

Donations:
We are in the process of compiling a list of all businesses that so graciously donated: materials, supplies, lunches (Arisano’s, St Francis Xavier,California Burrito), Eska water, Starbucks coffee (Dundas & 3^rd Line Oakville),  mattresses (Sleep Country), misc. items, resources/insights, funding and simply their time to help make this our largest endeavor yet!

Project Sponsors:
So many people and businesses have helped to make this a reality. We are truly humbled and grateful!
We want to acknowledge our 4 project sponsors that have chosen Walls of Hope and this special family to be part of their cause:
- Lowes (South Brampton & Lowes Canada)
- Union Lighting and Furnishings
- PMF Plumbing
- St Francis Xavier Secondary School

THANK-YOU!!
Between these 4 sponsors and everyone who donated and supported this project;
what and how you freely contributed is truly overwhelming!
You  helped take this project to the next level.

Best Wishes and a Very Grateful Thank You to Everyone.
You Rocked it….We Rocked It!!

The “CHRISTINA” PROJECT
SEPTEMBER 18 – 25th, 2011

In 2003; three children named Matthew, Michelle and Andrea, along with their Godmother Christina, survived a very tragic event that impacted and continues to affect their lives to this day. The children’s mother was murdered by their father in the family home. The father was charged and convicted with second-degree murder and is currently serving his sentence in prison.

Walls of Hope recognizes how this tragic event has influenced this family emotionally, physically, socially and financially. Despite this, they have continued on because of their strong bond, and love and support for each other. These strengths have allowed the family to function well and stay together in their home, maintaining a sense of independence and dignity.

The renovations planned by Walls of Hope will assist pragmatically and financially. More importantly, they will help restore individual and family hope while supporting the emotional healing of each family member. This is a very deserving and unique family that has shown perseverance, dedication, love and the desire to move forward in the face of extreme adversity.

Walls of Hope is very excited and proud to provide a “Gift of Hope” and a new beginning for this family. We welcome all forms of support including building materials and donations from individuals, businesses and the community.

Please view our online submission area to see how you can make a difference!

Christina Project Wish List

Walls of Hope is in need of: materials/products/furniture/Appliances/skilled trades for:

Brand New:

• Basement –  Living area, bedroom & bathroom
• Kitchen – Complete kitchen makeover
• Landscaping
• Roof

Renovations and Remodeling of:

• Bedrooms
• Bathroom(s)
• Main Living areas

Walls of Hope is Always In Need of:

• Volunteers: Skilled Trades, General Help, Painters, Landscapers, Decorators, Caterers , Fund Raisers
• Funding & Donations: All/Any Donations, Gifts-In-Kind, Sponsorships. We welcome all Support that will bring Hope to very deserving children and families!
• Community Support - Fund Raising Events, Awareness, Media Support – Tell your friends.
  • Come out and see the amazing things that happen at a Walls of Hope Project
• Building and Decorating Materials & Products:
  • Paint, Flooring, Ceramic and Linoleum Tile,  Drywall, Lumber (interior and exterior), Roofing, Lighting & Plumbing Materials, Tools and Building Equipment
  • Building Supplies – Nails, Screws,  Paint Brushes, Sand paper, Cleaning & Packing supplies, Disposal Services, Storage Pods
  • Decorating Products/Home Furnishings: Bedding, Drapery/Window treatments, Fabric, Decorative Items & Accessories
• Furniture: (New & Gently Used) Mattresses & Furniture
• Appliances: Fridges, Stoves, Dishwashers, Microwaves, Washer & Dryers, Air Purifiers, BBQs, Lawnmowers, Patio Furniture
• Gift Cards: Grocery, Big Box Stores, Clothing, Restaurants, Health & Wellness Services, Transit Passes
• Electronics: Televisions,  DVD Players, Game Console’s , (PlayStation, Wii, Xbox), Cell Phones, Computers, Laptops

Walls of Hope is always in need of and gratefully welcomes
support from: volunteers and the private and business community!

During This Time We Invite You to Think About
Being Part of the Walls of Hope Experience
You Can Make a Difference For a Season, a Reason or a Life Time!

1) We are now graciously welcoming for our next  big project “The Christina Project” (Sept 18- 25): volunteers, donations of building materials and home decorating items, project/room sponsorship opportunities and all/any gifts-in-kind (financial or other) for our late summer and fall projects

2) We are expanding Walls of Hope services to create and implement amazing rooms (Dream Rooms)  for children that are faced with major life challenges and events that have greatly impact their lives , though no fault of their own, such as: terminal illnesses, life impeding handicaps or traumatic life events

3) We have a few volunteer openings for our Walls of Hope Dream Rooms.
Our first project ( A Special Room For Spencer) is schedule for Fall 2011.
More information coming soon. Material supplier donations are always welcome!

4) Fund Raising - We also welcome all: schools, clubs, companies, media and social/private groups who would like to support Walls of Hope and special deserving families through fundraising initiatives over the summer and the 2011/2012 year.
Individuals and groups like: Streetsville Rotary Club, RJ Golf Tournament, Matt Saco Golf Tournament, St Francis Xavier Secondary School, Breaking Down The Walls Annual Pool Tournament, Decor & More (Oakville) and Planet Energy are just some of those who have been tremendously gracious and helpful in raising funds for Walls of Hope

5) A Big Thank You to everyone who organized and those who attended the: RJ Invitational Golf Tournament and Matt Sacco Golf Tournament!
Both events were huge successes and helped to raise awareness and funding for Walls of Hope – Thanks RJ and Matt!!

6) We are simply amazed by the outpouring of donated materials, supplies, services, products and volunteers for our upcoming Christina Project.
Without your help, none of this could/can be possible!!
We are still in need of all of the above to meet our requirements for this project.
Let us know if you would like to contribute and if we can supply you or your company with the required information.

Have an idea? Let us know!
Want to help in some way, but need ideas?
Go to How You Can Help on our website or call us, we would be please to hear from you!

Wishing you a great summer and Fall!
Sera and the Walls of Hope Team