Looking like sharp-dressed man in his black tuxedo, Randy Vannatter, incoming President of Vancouver Skal Club welcomed guests to the 17th annual Oscar Party on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Vannatter, who also serves as the volunteer social coordinator of TIPS, (the industry senior travel agent and industry social group) was expecting a full house of invited travel agents and industry personnel to join in celebration of this year’s Academy Awards ceremony.
The viewing party festivities took place at the recently renovated Shark Club on West Georgia Street in downtown Vancouver on 15MAR. Two 70ft jumbo television screens provided ample opportunities for guests to watch the glitz and glam of the Oscars while enjoying food, drinks and the chance to bid in the Silent Auction and win some great raffle prizes benefitting a local charity.
“The tradition of hosting an Academy Awards viewing party started in 2009 under the auspices of the Vancouver AM Tourism Association,” Vannatter tells Open Jaw. The event’s success and popularity meant that “we’ve been doing it every year since.”
Skal Vancouver was established in 1954 and serves as a regional network of travel and tourism industry professionals. The Club hosts regular networking events to provide an opportunity for tourism professionals and enthusiasts to come together and engage in meaningful conversations and build lasting connections within the industry. With more than 293 clubs in 77 countries around the world, Skal International is the only international body uniting all branches of the travel and tourism industry.
Well-dressed participants followed along with Oscars Host Conan O’Brian, scoring their Academy Award predictions as the golden trophies were handed out on-screen. During commercials, attendees browsed and bid on more than 30 silent auction items, including an Andy Warhol print, spa gift cards and local attraction passes.
A DJ conducted a lively musical quiz of 20 questions, where participants had to guess song title, artist and the movie in which the track appeared. Musical choices spanned the pat 40 years of the cinematic universe, including everything from 80s classics like Stand By Me and the Breakfast Club to A Star is Born (Lady Gaga version) and A Complete Unknown.
Maryann McGill has been attending the annual Vancouver Oscar Party for years and confides to Open Jaw that “it’s the best Oscar party in town.” McGill’s excellent predictions earned her more than 85 points on her scorecard and a prize of a gift card and little gold man of her own.
The movie fun and games are all in very good fun and for a great cause, as the annual event raises money for the Vancouver-based Children's Organ Transplant Society (COTS). Executive Director Debbie Bielech took a break from selling raffle tickets in support of the worthy non-profit to chat about COTS with OpenJaw.
“COTS is the only charity of its kind in Canada,” Bielech says. Its mission is to improve the lives of children needing an organ transplant. She founded the organization 25 years ago after donating the left lobe of her liver to save her son Matt’s life when he was just one year old. “There were no supports at all back then,” she recalls.
Today, COTS supports more than 150 pediatric transplant families in British Columbia. The proceeds of the 17th annual Oscar Party fundraiser will help Bielech continue the charity’s important work. “I’m grateful for this partnership and thank Vannatter and all the guests for their generosity.”
