Chef Mark McEwan

On November 14, 2014, Young Professionals for SickKids held it’s third annual Breakfast of Champions networking fundraiser. The early morning event, starting at 7:30am, was a vibrant, energetic and lively affair. The spacious event hall at The Toronto Board of Trade filled up quickly with close to 300 young professionals from legal, financial, media, medical, fashion and agency worlds to mingle with some of Canada’s most celebrated industry leaders, called ‘Champions’.

Tim Leiweke (MLSE)

Tim Leiweke (MLSE)

 

This year, Tim Leiweke, President and CEO of Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, delivered a keynote speech that was expectedly funny and entertaining, noting that he travels with a 90 PR reps and a list of bullet points of what not to say. As well as exceptionally inspiring, reminding all those in attendance to dream big, even if it means that somewhere along the road you’ll fail big, as well. At the end of the day, your ongoing enthusiasm and dedication will allow you achieve what you set out to.

Over an hour long, round table networking breakfast, young professionals had the opportunity to receive candid career advice from the likes of Lisa Laflamme, Chief Anchor & Senior Editor of CTV News, Larry Rosen, Chairman & CEO of Harry Rosen Inc., Mark McEwan, Celebrity Chef & Entrepreneur, Kathleen Taylor, Chair of RBC & SickKids Foundation, Paul Godfrey, President & CEO of Postmedia Network Inc., and Christine Magee, President & Co-Founder of Sleep Country Canada.

You also can’t forget the wonderful cause, The Allergy Program, that Young Professionals for SickKids donated $100,000 to. In his speech, Dr. Eyal Grunebaum, Head of Immunology & Allergy at The Hospital for Sick Children, highlighted that all the funds raised through this event, will be used to develop a small pill to help prevent anaphylaxis, an allergic reaction that’s so rapid in onset that it may cause death. This will allow so many parents to send their kids to school without fearing for their life.

Overall, an early morning start worthy for so many reasons, and a definite networking breakfast to mark in 2015 in support of SickKids.

About Young Professionals for SickKids and Breakfast of Champions:

Young Professional for SickKids (YPS) is a vibrant group of young professionals from the legal, financial, medical and media fields in Toronto with an ambition to support and bring awareness to the underfunded divisions within The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Our annual fundraising and networking event Breakfast of Champions in support of SickKids, is hosted by up to 30 community and industry leaders, we call Champions. We greatly appreciate the young professionals attending this event as well as our sponsors who so generously support our cause. For additional info visit: www.breakfastofchamps.ca

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breakfastofchampionsinsupportofsickkids
Twitter: @Brkfst4SickKids
Instagram: @Brkfst4SickKids

Photos by Nick Lee
Brkfst4Champions-SickKids-BestofToronto-2014-002

Also check out the video from last year’s Breakfast of Champions

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Natalie Korol

Nat Korol likes helping metropolitan dwellers lead a healthy, active lifestyle & especially enjoy the outdoors! She's a competing trail runner and an avid yogi. Follow Nat on Twitter + Instagram (@NatYKorol)