White Knight 2011 Takes a Stand Against Bullying – While synchronized swimmers, a roof top cellist and magical musical guests entertained the sold out crowd

Sold out for the 3^rd year in a row, the White Knight 2011 fundraising gala raised over $400,000 on June 1^st to benefit Egale's Safe School Campaign, the world's first national program to combat bullying and homophobia in schools, and The Triangle Program, Canada's only high school classroom for bullied LGBTQ youth. White Knight is an initiative of Canadian shoe entrepreneur Ron White and The Ron White Foundation™, which also hosts Canada's largest Shoe Drive for those in need. Along with lead sponsor, Royal Bank of Canada, White Knight 2011 raised funds to expand the Triangle program to 55 students and make it fully accessible to LGBT youth, and to provide resources to help Egale further develop the program and make it more accessible across Canada.

Hosted at the original Larkin Heritage Estate, one of the most spectacular private homes in Rosedale, guests dressed in all white put their best feet forward and showcased their most colourful and outrageous shoes to eTalk's Ben Mulroney on the White Carpet. Synchronized swimmers performed in the lap pool while Eugene Fed, the "electric cellist on the roof", surprised guests from the rooftop. The evening's MC, Global TV's Leslie Robert, introduced a number of special musical performances including Juno Award winner Molly Johnson, crooner Sean Jones and popular boy-band Neverest. A unique live auction co-hosted by Glenn Dixon and Virgin radio's Billie Holiday featured private jets from AirSprint and raised over $70,000.

A broad mix of titans of industry, socialites and celebrities were in attendance including White Knight co-chairs Jeffrey Latimer and Ron White, President of Greater Toronto Jennifer Tory, representing RBC, our Presenting Sponsor for the third year in a row; comedienne Caroline Rhea, actress Lisa Ray, CBC Dragon Arlene Dickinson and former Dragon W. Brett Wilson, CBC honcho Kirstine Stewart and her partner Zaib Shaikh, Designing brothers Glenn and David Dixon, CBC news hosts Anne-Marie Mediwake and Dwight Drummond, Breakfast Television host Dina Pugliese, eTalk hosts Ben Mulroney and Tanya Kim, supermodels Monika Schnarre and Yasmin Warsame, White Knight Board members including Barbara Hackett and her husband, John Tory, Libell Geddes, Daniel Bain, Robin Perry, John Rider, Lee Segal, Daniel MacDonald, Irit Shay, entrepreneur Brad Wilson and White Knight executive director Terry Smith.

“The best event of the season…”