We Are Traffic T-shirt

Cyclists are the future of our city. Though emitting no fumes, we have a burning desire to hear birdsong and breathe clean air. Won’t you join us? (Our t-shirts are 70% bamboo and 30% cotton, made in Canada)







Monkey100 is a business that believes design can be a tool for social change with the t-shirt as the ultimate mobile canvas. Our name was inspired by a parable about how critical mass is achieved. The parable tells of how a radically new behavior started by one group of monkeys soon spread to islands of monkeys thousands of miles away. The 100th monkey is the number needed for an idea or new behavior to really take off; it's the tipping point for massive social change.

Shannon Harvey, Monkey100
Valued: $30, Starting Bid: $15

Tenor Seranade with Trevor Orourke

Purchase the wonderful gift of a 'Serenata' and surprise a loved one with something memorable. Trevor Orourke is one of our local young tenors and a new member of the Vancouver Men's Choir. He has apperaed in several choir concerts in the lower mainland with the Jubilate Choir and has made private appearances as well. He is available for hire for any type of event. This makes a unique gift that will not be forgotten. He comes accompanied with a guitarist and will do a half hour private concert.

Valued at: $150, Starting bid at $75

Pupusa Feast – learn it, cook it, and eat it!

Outstanding homegrown cook (concinera), Karla Mairena and her assistant will come to your home and teach a small group of 4-6 people how to make pupusas in the traditional Salvadorean style. Learn with her in a fun and warm atomosphere. She'll bring lots of flavour and laughs to your private dinner fiesta.

Retail value: $200 starting bid at $100.

Scarves

These two beautiful and delicate scarves will add a touch of radiance to any outfit!

Alexma Diversified Services is a small business run by Margarita Nikolaeva Boatter with the help of her family. The company started it’s operations in 2008 & is specializing on unique gifts including fashion accessories, natural cosmetics, fine teas. Their fashionable scarves, costume jewellery and purses are already very popular with women of different age groups and professions due to their excellent quality and unique elegant designs.

The company is working hard to add the best cosmetics articles as well as finest tea to our collection of fine gifts. They are working on a website thus giving their customers an opportunity to access a full range of products we carry and to place their orders on the website.

Donated by Margarita Nikolaeva, Diversified Services

Flower Factory Gift Certificate

Visiting the Flower Factory, located on Main Street in Vancouver is a special experience unto itself. The store is filled with the most divine flowers on the planet. The staff work magic as they create exquisite bouquets, like you've never seen before! The Flower Factory is generously donating a gift certificate to the Benefit Fiesta. The lucky bidder will be able to go in and choose or have their own arrangement made!

Stay tuned for gift cerfitificate amount
The Flower Factory

Photo by Nigel Boeur

Nigel is an avid outdoor enthusiast, who fortunately likes to keep his camera with him on his grand adventures.
Last year, Nigel's gift photo got our bidders very excited! The stakes were high and one very lucky bidder went home with a fabulous photo! We're excitedly awaiting for this year's photo up for bids!

Nigel was our official photographer at last year's gala and will play the same role again this year.
Check out some of his great shots taken last year!

Benetfit Fiesta 2008-Heritage Hall, Vancouver

Creative Memories Photo-safe Album and supplies

Donated by Elspeth Banerd, this wonderful bundle of goodies includes: 12x12 Album 'shortcuts' - pre-cut paper, stickers - 3 packs paper cutter, corner rounder, templates x's 2, photo splits, fancy scissors, pen, pencil Elspeth has taught 'how to' workshops and has a wonderful eye for designing very classic photo albums. This is the second year that Elspeth has generously donated to the Benefit Fiesta.
Valued $150.00, Starting Bid $70.00

Soxy

Sweet, sexy socks. What more could a girl ask for? Back by popular demand, Heather McDermott of Soxy, is donating five pairs of socks to this year's Benefit Fiesta. Originally designed for equestrian riders, these socks are funky, pretty and very comfortable. Heather and her husband are both avid travellers and they both have a desire and commitment to make the world a better place.
Donated By Heather McDermott
Valued at $10 each, Starting Bid $5
Soxy

Hand Made Greeting Cards

Fourteen year old, Yasmeen Elhalaby is one of our enthusiastic "chicas" (youth) who is committed to supporting Project Somos. This Summer, Yasmeen flew from Toronto to Vancouver to spend a week in the Project Somos office helping with different administrative tasks as well as helping out at two public events. While in Vancouver, she began making greeting cards to raise money for Project Somos. She has donated this package of ten beautiful birthday cards that are suitable for men, women and children alike!
Valued at $20, Starting Bid $10

El Camino VolunTours

El Camino Voluntours has donated one free 10-night volunteer-tour package to the tour/project destination of the successful bidder's choice. Included: Airport pickup and transportation to the project, 10 nights accommodation, most meals, fun excursions and a tour leader to guide you throughout the tour.

Donated by Chris Buckshaw,
El Camino VolunTours
Valued at $1000, Starting Bid $500

Lego Builder's Party

Lego-Themed Birthday Party Entertainment Gift Certificate
I hour entertainment for 10 children. Party theme can be chosen by birthday child from available themes and includes Playable Display, Electric Lego train, loose bricks for building and the support of David Gagnon, Expert Builder and Facilitator. (for children approx aged 5-11)

Donated by David Gagnon, Brickworkshop
Valued at $130.00 Starting bid $65.00
Website: Brickworkshop

Claymation Session

This item was a huge hit last year at the Benefit Fiesta. After doing several claymation sessions with different kids in her life, Heather Knox (Executive Director of Project Somos) was encouraged to offer this special session. This is an opportunity for a child in your life to create their own movie which will then be posted on YouTube where they can share it with their friends and family! Your child will work with Heather for about 3-4 hours and they'll create a claymation project together. It's really easy, lots of fun and oh-so rewarding. Recommended for one child over six years of age. You can check out some of the videos she has done with other kids.



Donated by Heather Knox
Valued at $120. Starting Bid $60

Fall Garden Clean-Up

Living Canvas provides sustainable human powered gardening practices, keeping you and your neighborhood at peace naturally. Living Canvas believes in feeding the soil rather than feeding the plants. Every year before new growth erupts from the ground we add soil amender to your flower beds and lawn. This process provides all the nutrition plants require for a healthy growing season. All the organic matter when breaking down continues to nourish as well as retain moisture in the ground.


This gift certificate entitles the winner to a complimentary fall garden clean-up.

Donated by Roberto Guadet, My Living Canvas Organic Gardening
Valued at $130 Starting Bid $65
Website: Fall Garden Clean-Up

Tutoring Services

A+ Tutoring Services specializes in individualized learning plans that build the skills, habits and attitudes needed to succeed in school, in business and in life. They are generously donating a gift certificate for four, one hour, on-line tutoring lessons.





Donated by David Marsden, A+ Tutoring Services
Valued at $100. Starting Bid $50
Website: A+Tutoring

Upcoming Benefit Fiesta

We are excited to announce that our Second Annual Benefit Fiesta will take place one month today on Wednesday, October 14th. Once again, the event will happen at Heritage Hall on Main Street in Vancouver. Tickets are $40 and will go on sale soon!

Under the great leadership of Gin Nielsen, we have a great team of volunteers working hard to put this event together.

We have many generous donors providing wonderful items for the auctions. Stay tuned to this page where you can keep an eye on featured gifts. Meanwhile, we'll begin with a little teaser of what you can expect to on October 14th!

Be sure to keep checking back!

Cake Decorating Gift Certificate

Creative Memories Album & Kit from Elspeth Banerd

Lego Builder's Party from David Gagnon

Fall garden clean-up from Living Canvas

Hand-made quilt by Heidi Dubland

Voluntour Package from El Camino VolunTours

Gift Certificate from Flower Factory

Photograph by Nigel Boeur

Hand-made cards by Yasmeen Elhalaby

Print of Vancouver Painting by Sam Logan

Kids Claymation Session from Heather Knox

Bamboletta Doll from Bamboletta Dolls

Hand-knit scarf by Rachel Calogeros-Smith

A Special Art Piece by Steve Smith