Emerging Leaders Network (ELN)

On Tuesday, Dec.15, 2009, the Emerging Leaders Network (ELN) showcased both current and future projects and ideas of Toronto's up and coming city building leaders at a studio gathering at the MaRS Discovery District.

With their thoughts on their mentor David Pecaut, who died a day earlier, the city’s next generation of leaders met to focus on specific projects that could change life in the city, from increased voter turnout in municipal elections to creating an arts corridor along John Street.

Launched in March 2006, the Emerging Leaders Network (ELN) is a group of engaged civic leaders from across the Toronto region committed to improving the region they live in.

Working in the private, public and non-profit sectors, members of the ELN are becoming known as "city-builders": people who mobilize action, laying the social groundwork for the city of tomorrow.

Gatherings Event Planning was once again part of this great project, taking care of all logistics, set-up, cocktail reception, rentals and on-site management.

You can read more about the event here, here, here and here.

Happy city-building!
Renata Altrao & The Gatherings Team

Gift wrapping ideas

- Use fabric with yarn or strands of raffia for awkward-shaped gifts
- Line re-used boxes with coloured tissue paper (instead of white) and put your homemade treats & goodies instead for a lovely hostess gift
- Buy a holiday mug (Dollar Store, IKEA, Canadian Tire) – place small items inside like chocolate covered pretzels, Christmas tree ornament, or candles
- Wrap baskets in cellophane with beautiful festive ribbon or add a Christmas ball for colour
- Have kids paint, colour, or decorate poster paper to wrap gifts for grandparents, teachers and aunts/uncles
- Use photos of your little ones pasted on their gifts to identify each one – even if they can’t read their name, they’ll recognize the gift is for them by their picture
- Re-use wine bags for skinny or cylindrical shaped gifts
- Comics & other coloured newspaper makes great gift wrap
- Send your special someone on a scavenger hunt to find their gift – start with a card with a clue, and proceed with a series of clues around the house until they find the hidden treasure
- Make Christmas fun and be creative!!

Wishing you all Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!
Renata Altrão & The Gatherings Team

Setting the perfect Holiday Table

• Start with a simple table cloth (white cotton or linen) – ensure it’s clean, crisp, and ironed
• Add a festive holiday centerpiece – green branches with red & white berries surrounding a large candle
• Look for themed holiday plates – Canadian Tire, Costco, or Home Sense
• Use festive holiday paper napkins to match plates or cloth with a holiday ribbon or beautiful silver napkin ring
• Always use your best flatware and glassware – you’ve been saving it all year, now’s the time to use it!!!
• Silver salt & pepper shaker or source a holiday set featuring bells, angels or snowmen
• If your table is big enough, bring your serving platters, gravy boat, and bowls to the table – it’s always nice to have a “Family” style meal at the holidays
• Place small votive candles (Red or White) in clear glass containers
• Finally use a gold glitter pen to write place cards for each seat
• Sit down & ENJOY!

Wishing you all Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!
Renata Altrão & The Gatherings Team

Green Event Planning

Whether you’re planning a family reunion, an annual meeting for your workplace, or a community-wide festival, make it a more environmentally friendly event.
Planning a green event takes a little more time and effort, but the rewards are great. You will have the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve conserved resources, reduced landfill waste, and shown a commitment to preserving a sustainable quality of life for our community and our world.

Best of all, you will provide a model for others to follow. Your family, neighbours, customers, clients, and community members will note with approval that you have taken the time to ensure that your event is environmentally friendly.

Top 10 Ways to Make Your Meeting Environmentally Responsible

1. Write It Up
Create an environmental statement or policy for the meeting as simple as, "We commit to minimize the environmental impact of our meeting by increasing the use of recycled materials wherever possible, reducing the amount of solid waste and disposing of waste responsibly." Be sure to get sign-off from hosts and suppliers.

2. Go Paperless
Using Web technology can cut paper use dramatically. A simple Web site for the conference can offer registration and confirmation. Email can serve advertising needs.

3. Meet Close
Insofar as possible, minimize the average distance that participants must travel. Choose venues close to the airport and within walking distance.

4. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
Ask your hotel and meeting venue to provide visible and accessible reduction, reuse and recycling services for paper, metal, plastic and glass.

5. Avoid Individual Servings
Use bulk dispensers for sugar, salt, pepper, cream and toppings.

6. Choose Green Hotels
Choose a hotel that offers a linen reuse program and bulk dispensers for shampoos and soaps in guest suites.

7. Eat Green
Include vegetarian options, and use caterers willing to provide locally produced foods in season.

8. When You Must Print…
Print all materials on earth-friendly papers, using vegetable-based inks, and use both sides of every page if possible.

9. Lights Out
Make sure that lights and air conditioning are turned off when rooms are not in use.

10. Inform, Instruct, Inspire
Tell participants and speakers about the "green" commitment of the meeting. Include verbiage on printed items and table tents.

Check here more tips of how to make your own green event!

Renata Altrão & The Gatherings Team

FastLane Gadgets and Tech - Woo Buffet and Restaurant

FastLane had its last networking event of 2009 at Woo, an Asian buffet restaurant right in the heart of the city.

With the theme being gadget and tech, there were presentations from many companies, including Palm, iLane, Belkin accessories, Hi-Tech Tattoos and Showcase TV. People could mingle with the industry's best while enjoying gadgets.

Hi-Tech Tattoos were there to personalize people’s mp3 players and phones and iLane showcased their GPS-sized bluetooth device which reads out emails from one’s smartphone.

Door prizes included: WiFi Personal Hotspot, iLane device ($399 value), $100 Hi-Tech tattoo gift certificate, just to name a few.

It was a great tech experience with the opportunity of networking with a variety of professionals.

Stay tuned! Check the website for upcoming FastLane events.

We hope to see you all at our next event on January 19th!
Renata Altrão & The Gatherings Team

Photos by Anthony Parazo

JAE associates celebrates 29th anniversary!

Champagne, cake and lots of good vibes were the order of the day when Great Canadian Promotions, Div. JAE associates Ltd., celebrated its 29th anniversary. Gatherings Event Planning proudly organized this event and took care of the décor, catering, AV equipment, gift bags and on-site management.

On September 3rd at the International Centre, clients, suppliers, friends and family joined the team to celebrate the occasion, in an event that featured a keynote address by Stefan Danis, CEO of Mandrake Toronto and NexCareer. Kurt Reckziegel acted as special MC, regaling all present with stories of promotional products from the beginning to the present.

We congratulate Ms. Rang and her team and wish them the best of success in the years to come.

Renata Altrão & The Gatherings Team

New venue in Toronto: Dark Horse Espresso Bar

Gatherings Event Planning is pleased to announce our new partner, Dark Horse Espresso Bar on Spadina Ave. As the official Management Office for Dark Horse, Gatherings is responsible for any rental and event's inquiries.

Dark Horse Espresso Bar is a fresh, new independent coffee house in the entertainment district of downtown Toronto. Lots of space to sit, with recycled bowling alley wood tables, and a well furnished lounge just behind the coffee counter.

If you are looking for a new venue, unique and modern to hold a function for up to 125 people, you just found it!

Come visit us, see this beautiful space and have an espresso!
Renata Altrão & The Gatherings Team

Great Benefits!
> No landmark Fees
> No exclusivity agreements
> Bring in your own Alcohol
> Built-in sound system
> Reasonable rates

Dark Horse Espresso Bar
215 Spadina Ave (just north of Queen St. W)
Toronto, ON M5T 2C7

Management Office
Gatherings Event Planning & Fundraising
E: info@GatheringsEventPlanning.com
T: 416.551.0241



Photo Credits:
Toronto Eats
Dead Sex Magazine
Miss Yu
Dar Mustafa
FoodHogger
Matt MacGillivray