On April 20th, the Water Canada team, Todd Latham, publisher and CEO; Jane Buckland, associate publisher; Katherine Balpataky, editor; and Todd Westcott, content and marketing manager, attended the 6th annual Waterkeeper Gala.
A Lake Ontario Waterkeeper event, the Waterkeeper Gala raises funds and awareness for water issues locally and globally. An independent charity, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper/ Swim Drink Fish Canada works for a day when every person in the Lake Ontario watershed can safely touch the water, when the water is pure enough to drink, and when the lake is clean and wild enough that you could toss in a line anywhere and pull out a fish.
Their programs bring together law, science, culture, and digital media in order to connect and empower people to restore polluted places, protect human health, and promote thriving natural spaces.
The program showcases musical presentations, this year featuring Hannah Georgas, Afie Jurvanen (Bahamas), and Sarah Harmer; inducts new Swim Drink Fish Ambassadors, individuals who have “demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to creating a future where every Canadian can swim, drink, and fish.” This year’s inductees included Dave Bidini, Denise Donlon, Sarah Harmer, and Stephen Ranger.
This year’s art auction featured work from Michael Adamson, Richard Ahnert, David T Alexander, John Brown, Michael Burke, Edward Burtynsky, Ian Busher, Adam Colangelo, Barbara Cole, Laura Culic, Steve Driscoll, David Grieve, Frank Grisdale, John Hartman, Daniel Hughes, Joshua Jensen-Nagle, Mendelson Joe, Stewart Jones, Nicole Katsuras, James Lahey, Paul Mantrop, David Marshak, Kent Monkman, Finn O’Hara, Victoria Piersig, Kay Plante, Andrew Rucklidge, Joseph Sampson, Su Sheedy, Daniel St-Amant, and Michael Toole.
More than $2.3-million has been raised to promote swimmable, drinkable, fishable water since 2011. Visit Lake Ontario Waterkeeper to learn more about their programming.
