Our Grand Volunteer Celebration 2025 Was a Party to Remember!

On May 3, we turned the Scotiabank Theatre in Downtown Vancouver into a full-on celebration. It was a morning filled with music, laughter, amazing food, and most of all, the people who give their time and heart to make our communities better. Volunteers from all over the Lower Mainland showed up, and the energy in the room was something you could feel the moment you walked in.

Things kicked off at 10 in the morning with a warm welcome from our incredible Emcee Stephanie Bote. She lit up the room and had everyone smiling within seconds. Right after that, DJ Javo brought the music. His live set set the tone for the day and got the crowd moving. People were dancing, catching up with old friends, and meeting new ones. It felt more like a party than a morning event.

Our tabling area was packed with amazing local organizations, each one sharing what they do and how others can get involved. We were so lucky to have Writers’ Exchange, SUCCESS Youth Leadership Millennium and Community Leadership Initiative Program, Moving Forward Family Services, H R MacMillan Space Centre, Canadian Blood Services, Chinese Community Policing Centre, Employ to Empower, Growing Chefs, and Women Transforming Cities with us. The connections made in that room were real and meaningful.

And then came the food. We treated every attendee to a full catered spread from Flavours of Hope, an organization that supports newcomer women building their food businesses. Guests got to try delicious dishes from Mis Cazuelas, Fariya Bakery, and Darna Moroccan Foods. There were so many happy faces, and the food was a highlight for a lot of people.

As the crowd enjoyed their meals, the one and only Mako Fujimoto took the stage. She performed a few retro Japanese songs that stopped people in their tracks. Her voice was beautiful, and it brought something really special to the celebration.

Before we wrapped up, we gave away some awesome raffle prizes, thanks to our generous donors. Winners were called up to cheers and clapping, and it felt like the perfect way to close out the morning. But we were not done yet. After the main event, we also had a private screening of the movie Thunderbolts. Popcorn and good company made it the perfect way to wind down!

Huge shoutout to everyone who made this day happen. Stephanie Bote, you were unforgettable. Thank you to Sherpa Group for helping everything run smoothly. Thank you to Aflak Media for capturing the day with photos and video, Evolve Events for the photo booth and VR experiences, and La Social Box for their fun networking games.

We are beyond grateful to our volunteers, our tabling partners, and our venue managers Dominic and Helen for all their support. And of course, to every single person who showed up. You made the day what it was.

It was loud, joyful, and full of heart. We cannot wait to do it again next year!

To view our full photo album, visit our Facebook album here!