The highly anticipated Mayor’s Ball was an evening of all records, Friday evening at the Château Frontenac. The generosity of the 700 guests allowed the Jeunes en Tête Foundation to smash the $1M mark to help thousands of adolescents aged 11 to 18 in the Quebec region and in the east of the province.
In an interview at the very beginning of the social evening, the president of the board of directors of the Fondation jeunesse en Tête, Éric Bujold, and the mayor of Quebec, Bruno Marchand, affirmed that they had “good hope” of raising 900 000$ this year.
“Last year, we exceeded $820,000 and we were extremely satisfied. We said to ourselves “how are we going to beat this?”. It’s crazy to think that we’ve been holding the event for 13 years now and that every year people are more generous,” said Mr. Bujold, far from suspecting that he had been too timid in his predictions. .
The chairman of the board of directors of the Fondation Jeunes en Tête, Éric Bujold, maintains that the first 12 editions of the Mayor’s Ball helped more than 100,000 adolescents.
Photo Pascal Huot / Agence QMI
The prize pool raised during the glamorous evening will be entirely dedicated to the foundation’s mission: preventing psychological distress among adolescents. Mayor Marchand, who was the sponsor of the event, recalled that this objective is all the more valid in these times.
“We know that the economic context means that it is not easy for everyone. This raises mental health issues among young people too. […] It’s not just adults who are affected: stress related to employment, housing, the ability to pay, it affects everyone,” he argued.
The mayor of Quebec and sponsor of the event, Bruno Marchand, was accompanied by his children Emma-Jeanne and Victor during the social evening.
Pascal Huot / Agence QMI
Important cause
Even if this is not their first ball, MM. Marchand and Bujold are always pleasantly surprised by the generosity of the region’s business community.
“We see that it’s a cause that speaks to a lot of people. It’s so important to help our young people, because they don’t have it easy,” continued the president of the foundation.
The 13th Mayor’s Ball brought together 700 guests from the Quebec region’s business community, a record for the event.
Photo Pascal Huot / Agence QMI
“When I was a teenager in an HLM in the Saint-Roch district, I received support from similar organizations, so I know the impact that help at the right time can have. The funds raised this evening will help young people overcome anxiety and other mental health challenges,” said the president of Micrologic and honorary co-president of the event, Stéphane Garneau.
The Minister of Infrastructure of Quebec and responsible for the National Capital, Jonatan Julien, was part of the evening which took place under the theme “Olá Lisboa”.
Photo Pascal Huot / Agence QMI
Concrete results
Since its creation, the Mayor’s Ball has raised more than $6.5 million which has had a concrete impact in the lives of more than 100,000 adolescents across the eastern part of the province.
Various organizations, such as Young Musicians of the World, which supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds through free Music learning, have benefited from the help of the Jeunes en Tête Foundation over the years.
Photo Pascal Huot / Agence QMI
“Music helps me channel my energies. It comforts me and it allowed me to meet lots of incredible people,” said Alba Luna Gil Barbosa, 15, who has been part of the Young Musicians of the World troupe of Quebec for several years.
The young Alba Luna Gil Barbosa, 15 years old, and Laurent Brassard, 13 years old, had the chance to perform in front of the guests with the other members of the Young Musicians of the World troupe.
Around ten young people also delivered a musical performance during the benefit evening.
For his part, Laurent Brassard, 13, felt “very pampered” to be able to perform at Château Frontenac. “It’s a little stressful, but I’m really looking forward to it, because it’s going to be my first time in front of so many people,” he confided just before his performance on the drums.
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