Tuesday, September 30, 2008 Impresario, 10, organizes benefit concert for local causes Cassandra Heward is only 10 years old, but she's no stranger to raising money for good causes.

Stars give of themselves for “Cassandra’s Lilacs” concert

Beryl Wajsman

Jazz great Ranée Lee is the latest performer to join the star-studded line-up for the “Cassandra`s Lilacs” Gentle the Condition concert to be held Oct. 2 at 7.30 p.m. at Théâtre St. Denis. The concert is being staged by the Garceau Foundation in co-operation with the Institute for Public Affairs of Montreal. It will benefit three Montreal charities that are in the forefront on issues of health, hunger and homelessness. Lee, already well known to audiences throughout North America and Europe, has just come off a brilliant portrayal of “Lady Day” - Billie Holiday. Ranée Lee is truly a virtuoso whose talent has captured - and captivated - audiences in clubs, on stage, and on screen. She even shines in the classroom, teaching music at McGill and Laval universities. Chantal Chamandy burst onto the music scene with a multilingual first CD entitled Love Needs You and followed that up with a stunning concert at the pyramids in Giza, making her one of a handful of artists that includes Sting, who have staged concerts there. Stephanie Biddle is the golden voice of the storied Biddle musical family of Montreal. She has forged a stellar career in New York, and is flying in for this special evening. Lorraine Klaasen, originally from South Africa, has captivated jazz and African music lovers the world over. She is a virtual embodiment of cultural diversity singing in English, French, Greek, Hebrew, and more than 12 African languages and dialects. Vancouver’s Nazanin Afshin-Jam is the former Miss World Canada who has devoted her life to international human rights. Her debut CD is entitled Someday - whose title song is a condemnation of Iranian religious fanaticism as well as a paean of hope for the future. The album is a captivating combination of folk-rock and sensual ballads.

Ashley King will be launching her first CD in Los Angeles in October. The multi-talented singer’s pure sounds and relaxing rhythms have been called seductive. Sandra Brandone has just released her first CD entitled “Nothing Feels As Good”. A single, Letting Go, has already gone 2008 Quebec platinum.

All the artists are performing free of charge for the benefit of the remarkable organizations the concert is supporting. Dr. Nicholas Steinmetz’ and Dr. Gilles Julien’s  Fondation pour la promotion de la pédiatrie sociale tackles the health needs of poor children. Helping thousands in Montreal’s poorest areas of Côte des Neiges and Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, the Fondation cares for the physical, psychological and educational needs of children who are products of underprivileged homes. It not only provides immediate help, but follows the children through years of schooling to ensure that the work is having an effect. It is a totally holistic approach to childhood development. The Maison du partage d’Youville is a community kitchen and food bank that has served hundreds every week over the past 25 years in Pointe St. Charles, Verdun and Little Burgundy. It is straining for space and resources and is in desperate need of funds to move to larger, but cheaper, premises so that it can continue its critical work.

De la Rue…à la Réussite, takes homeless men and women and provides them with the necessary tools and employment opportunities to reintegrate into the workforce. This remarkable organization, founded by the indefatigable Sue McDougall and her late husband Jean-Pierre Chartrand, doesn’t just get people on their feet, it gets them back into life. It understands that it’s about more than just getting people a paycheque; it’s about giving them back their purpose.

Activist attorney Brigitte Garceau created The Garceau Foundation out of a desire to provide the highest level of financial, professional and organizational support to frontline community action and social service groups tackling our most daunting social challenges. The need for the most effective intervention on behalf of these groups, already operating with strained resources, will become ever more acute. Brigitte believes none of us can stay uninvolved. Building on the philosophy that to whom much is given, much is expected, she is bringing years of experience in political and community networking and fund-raising to bear on this mission.

Inspired by a real-life Cassandra – Garceau’s ten year old daughter - who wanted to do something to help the underprivileged , the symbolism of the lilac is poignant and pithy. Like children, the most vulnerable and fragile among us, each lilac flower alone is beautiful but fragile. But together in a bough, lilacs are not only fragrant, but strong. Each child alone is fragile. But if we look at them together, we are compelled by their needs and find the strength to accomplish the unimaginable. Together, we can gentle the condition.

This event will take place under the patronage of a very special Presidente d’honneur - Andrée Ruffo. For decades Ruffo has been the outstanding voice in Quebec, and perhaps unparalleled in the country, in defense of our most vulnerable and disenfranchised. Her particular passion was young people. As a youth court judge she not only showed compassion from the bench but commitment in the public arena. Few were as brave as she in demonstrating that when the system fails we as citizens must step in. That toeing the line is like doing a crime. Her book, “Parce que je crois aux enfants” is not only an indictment    of apathy but an eloquent appeal      for action.

The concert will not only be about entertainment. You will meet the people behind these groups and you will meet the people they help. We hope you will be touched as you meet the most humble among us who cannot secure the preferences of the privileged for themselves. We hope you will be touched enough to give of your time and talent as well as your treasure.

I assure you that the music, the words and the images of this concert will pierce your heart. We want you to take away from it a greater ability to see the world through the eyes of its victims. And to understand intuitively, that the less educated are not less intelligent and that the less affluent are not any less human. That is what Cassandra’s Lilacs “Gentle the Condition” concert is all about, and what the Garceau Foundation seeks to achieve. Please help.

Sunday 07 September 2008 The 'Gentle the Condition' concert
...no issues are as poignant as those that deal with the 3Hs of society's ills. Health, hunger and homelessness. Over the past year, activist attorney Brigitte Garceau brought three organizations, and their needs, Brigitte feels, and quite rightly in my view, that these groups not only excel in what they do but ? The Garceau Foundation out of a desire to provide the highest level of financial, professional and organizational support
Dr. Nicholas Steinmetz's and Dr. Gilles Julien's Fondation pour la promotion de la pédiatrie sociale tackles the health and social needs of poor children.
The Maison du partage d'Youville is a community kitchen and food bank that has served hundreds every week over the past 25 years in Pointe St. Charles, Verdun and Little Burgundy. (see ?Answered Prayers? The Suburban, Jan. 23, 2008).
De la rue'a la reussite takes homeless men and women and provides them with the necessary tools and employment opportunities to reintergrate into the workforce. Sue McDougall, her late husband Jean-Pierre Chartrand, & Brian Morel (see ?A Bit of Dignity? The Suburban, Dec. 19, 2007)

Nicolas Steinmetz

Inspired by a real-life Cassandra "Garceau's 10-year-old daughter" who wanted to do something to help the underprivileged, the symbolism of the lilac is poignant and pithy. Like children, the most vulnerable and fragile among us, each lilac flower alone is beautiful but fragile. A concert seeks to raise money for, and awareness of, the three unique organizations under the patronage of a very special Presidente d'honneur Andrée Ruffo
The concert will be held Thursday, Oct. 2 at Théâtre St. Denis at 7:30 p.m. Among the entertainers will be Chantal Chamandy, Stephanie Biddle from New York, Lorraine Klaasen, Ashley King, Sandy Brandone, Carolina, the Imani Family and Full Gospel Church?s Children?s Choir and international human rights activist and former Miss World Canada Nazanin Afshin-Jam is coming from Vancouver to join us. Other stars will be announced shortly. There will also be an after-party at the popular night spot LaMouche.

For tickets you can e-mail Brigitte at brigittegarceau@sympatico.ca, the Institute at Beryl Wajsman at editor@thesuburban.com or Diana Nicholson at [diananicholson@wednesday-night.com] All contributions are deductible and tax receipts will be sent out. The $250 VIP ticket entitles you to attend the after party at LaMouche, just one block south of the theatre on St. Denis and Ste. Catherine. General admission tickets are $150 and can be purchased by calling Théâtre St-Denis at 514-849-4211. Direct credit card purchases can be made through Tel-Spec at 514-790-1111. The Suburban is making available a special package for advertisers which will include four VIP tickets to the concert. For information please call 514-484-1107.

Summer 2007 Jamie Heward and his wife Brigitte Garceau Heward co-chaired the ABC Awards Ball in June which raised $850,000 for the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation. Over seven hundred guests attended the evening which honored an extraordinary team of caregivers and support staff. Our firm was a proud sponsor of the evening.

Wednesday, April 4, 2007 Among those rumoured to be interested in filling Robillard's place are her riding president and former Westmount mayor Peter Trent.
An interesting race is also shaping up in Westmount as Mme. Robillard is pondering retirement after over two decades as a prominent Liberal voice in Quebec. The favorite there is riding president Brigitte Garceau, who is quite charming and a great person. Other contenders are astronaut Marc Garneau, local riding organizer and lawyer Carolina Gallo Richer Lafleche.