The Walker Family, owners of the soon-to-be-reborn Oak Bay Beach Hotel, have announced a $2 million gift for the David Foster Foundation, and the naming of the hotel’s dinner theatre in honour of the foundation.
“When we reopen next May, our guests will be introduced to the David Foster Foundation Theatre, paying homage to the philanthropic work of David Foster, a local boy who never forgot the importance of giving back as his own star rose,” says Kevin Walker. “It’s a privilege to join forces with David’s foundation, an organization that does such great work in our community and across North America.”
Grammy award-winning producer David Foster was on hand for the announcement, and made an announcement of his own in celebration of the foundation’s 25th anniversary. On May 26, 2012, Foster will bring back to his hometown his popular Hitman Show to the city’s Save on Foods Memorial Centre for a “Miracle Concert” — held in conjunction with a star-studded David Foster Foundation gala grand opening weekend package at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, May 25-27, 2012. Adding a taste of what is to come, the Canadian Tenors (Clifton Murray, Fraser Walters, Remigio Pereira, and Victor Micallef) joined Foster for the Aug. 12 announcement.
{advertisement} “We are absolutely elated by this commitment from Kevin and Shawna Walker at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel. They are such outstanding citizens and we feel so fortunate to know that their support will help so many families across Canada and help us spread the word about organ donation registration and awareness in Canada and the United States,” says Foster. “This is the largest single donation committed to our foundation since we began in 1986 with our celebrity baseball games; we are so happy to be celebrating 25 years here with the Walkers at this soon-to-be five-diamond resort hotel.”
One hundred per cent of the cost for the exclusive weekend package will be donated to the David Foster Foundation by the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, with a goal to raise $1 million from the opening alone. An additional $1 million will be raised by the Walkers over 10 years, in a variety of ways, including proceeds from ongoing sales of all dinner theatre performances.
Guests staying at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel during the gala opening will be treated to private concerts in the David Foster Foundation Dinner Theatre, opportunities to mix, mingle, and dine with celebrity guests, full access to all of the hotel’s amenities and attend a spectacular dinner with VIP seating for the David Foster and Friends Miracle Concert at the arena. The package is available for purchase for $5,000 per person, based on double occupancy and a three-day, two-night stay.
“We realized our grand re-opening is a much anticipated event, and we wanted to make the most of it for our community,” says Walker. “To be able to make this announcement and commitment to the David Foster Foundation is a dream come true for our family. David, through his foundation, has given many people second chances from supporting families with non-medical expenses during a critical time and educating people on the value of organ donor registration. Now, every guest who comes to the hotel and visits our theatre will learn about our very own hometown hero, David Foster.”
“This is an incredible day for the David Foster Foundation, not only because of the magnitude of this commitment but because we are thrilled to be entering into a long lasting partnership with dear friends of our Foundation,” says Mike Ravenhill, CEO of the David Foster Foundation. “Their donation is going to help ensure that we are able to support families with children undergoing organ transplant for a long time to come. We are looking forward to next May when Victorians and Canadians will get the chance to witness a party they’ll never forget, for a cause they will always remember … all because of the Walkers and David Foster.”
