Centennial Foundation 2008 Vaisakhi Gala
Saturday April 19th, 2008
at The Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto

The Centennial Foundation Annual Vaisakhi Gala features Sikh culture at its finest. In 2008 the Centennial Foundation will again honor both exemplary Sikhs and non-Sikhs whose accomplishments deserve recognition. The April 19th 2008 gala held at the prestigious Royal Ontario Museum will also showcase exceptional art work and entertainment connected to Sikh heritage.

Tickets are now on sale, to order please visit our website www.centennialfoundation.org or call our ticket sales line on 416.648.7822

Highlights of the gala include:

Key Note Speaker - Marilyn McHarg

Marilyn McHarg is the current director-general for Medecins Sans Frontieres, Canada, Marilyn McHarg and knows war zones and frontlines like very few do. Intimately intertwined with people left destitute by political and economic turmoil, McHarg continues the mission of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), which she helped found, here in Canada. In 1991 she left her positions as a nurse at Toronto's Women's College Hospital and Sunnybrook Medical Centre to work in Uganda. For the next 15 years, she dedicated her life to overseas relief in conflict zones, from Sudan to Liberia. She ran vaccination campaigns, organized emergency nutritional programs and negotiated access to vulnerable patients across factional lines in war zones. Her journey from field nurse to medical coordinator and head of mission eventually led to key leadership positions with MSF in Geneva and Amsterdam where she helped set the organization's operational strategies.

Honorees

	Gurmustuk Singh Khalsa is the Founder of Sikhnet.com and has provided a venue for Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike to learn more about Sikhism. His efforts and website have also encouraged Sikh youth to become involved in all aspects of Sikhi by providing them a forum to share their view and gain knowledge.
	Inspector Barry Dolan has worked tirelessly to strengthen relationships between Peel Region Police Services and the greater Sikh community. His method has been both unorthodox and surprising - the formation of a kabaddi team comprising entirely of Peel Police officers which is the only non-asian team anywhere in the world.
	Sukhi Gill-Turner was the first female Mayor of Dunedin, New Zealand, from 1995 until her retirement from the position in 2004. She was notable as the first Green Party mayor in New Zealand and is regarded by some as New Zealand's most prominent politician from the country's Indian community.
	Amandeep Kaur has been a Health Promotion Officer with the Region of Peel Health Services since 1999. She has a passion for helping those with chronic diseases and has also been helping abused women through a partnership with the Punjabi Community Health Centre. She has numerous research studies to her credit and is a highly acclaimed public speaker in the South Asian community.
	Dr. Amarjit Singh Marwah is a well known and respected philanthropist in both the United States and India. He is credited as the first dentist of Indian heritage to practice in America and is known as the man behind some of Hollywood's brightest smiles. Dr. Amarjit Singh Marwah has been a successful professional, a committed citizen, a dedicated Sikh, and a humanitarian who made enormous contribution to enrich the lives of those he touched
	Guru Gobind Singh Children's Foundation based in Toronto was set up in 1999 to help foster the spirit of community service and responsibility. The foundation is run by children with a vision to help other children across the globe living in poverty meet their basic needs.
	Medicins Sans Frontieres founded in 1971 Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent international medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural or man-made disasters, or exclusion from health care in nearly 60 countries. Each year, MSF doctors, nurses, logisticians, water-and-sanitation experts, administrators, and other medical and non-medical professionals depart on more than 4,700 aid assignments, working alongside more than 25,800 locally hired staff to provide medical care.
Entertainment
	Onkar Singh - Listen to the magical voice of Onkar Singh as he sings a ghazal inspired fusion piece comprising of the flute,sitar, and tabla.
	The Dhol Foundation, Toronto - Get your foot tapping and your heart pumping as you listen to the vibrant sound of the Dhol. The Dhol Foundation's Toronto chapter will showcase the dynamic sound of the Dhol, with their east meets west fusion piece.

Exhibition

Jaipreet Singh- Come and see Sikh inspired art created for this year's gala by Jaipreet Singh, a local Toronto visual artist.