Report of the SOS ALS Gala dinner & concert
Welcome and report from 9 October :
I welcome you all. In particular I want to welcome our sponsors, great and small, who showed their big heart in these difficult economic times. It’s also a great honor to welcome some well known Politicians. The work of the ALS Association often occurs in the shadows, but apparently not unnoticed. To the professors and researchers in whom we place our hope to win the fight against ALS, the representatives of the International Alliance ALS, all supporters, colleagues, friends and family of people with ALS; a big thank you for your support. A special thanks goes to the attending ALS patients, our PALS. The ALS Association is fighting with you as lions, your destiny remains our main motivation.
And then of course there’re the many volunteers and the godfather and godmothers of this benefit. A whole year you’ve worked hard to make this evening something unique. Your efforts are admirable and contagious. In all honesty, I’m deeply impressed. Thank you very much for everything and we will achieve together in the future.
I wish you a pleasant evening:
Danny Reviers
18:00:
The doors of the reception hall are wide open. A red carpet, bubbles, tasty aperitif snacks!
The ALS Association and the numerous present volunteers are ready: the party can begin! At the entrance of the Brabanthal 710 ALS sympathizers are welcomed by "De Sloebers," a musical band voluntarily committed.
Crowds in the entrance hall. Table numbers are assigned, bracelets handed out to the participants of the gala dinner.
Among the guests, celebrities like Herman Van Rompuy, Louis Tobback, numerous politicians, ALS ambassadors and many other prominent and well-known personalities.
19:00:
Doors to the gala and concert hall open. Everyone takes place at its respective table.
Also some ALS patients in wheelchair takes part in the festivities. Beautifully prepared room. Impressive! Tables specially covered for 710 people, arranged in a U-shape. The hall was therefore to say "U" after many ALS volunteers had sought to achieve this result.
Marc Pinte, one of thepresent ALS ambassadors, is the first to speak and thanks everyone for their attendance, brief explains what the reason and the purpose was of the "Week of ALS" and how everything went . And before wishing evryone a tasty dinner and enjoyable evening, he calls Piet Huysentruyt in.
Piet explains the public how he got involved with the ALS Association. Piet also took this opportunity to hand over on top of a previously check of 50,000 euro, an additional check of 25,000 euro to the ALS Association. He also spoke briefly about his book "Piet Pure" of which the revenues integral goes to the ALS Association. The present ALS patients got the opportunity to get their gala dinner served in pureed form.
Then Marc Pinte takes the floor again and announces that there will be held a raffle to win a diamond worth 2,500 euros, donated by the Antwerp diamond Rosy Blue.
Leah Thijs, ALS ambassadress, wearing this diamond around her neck and walks between the tables to show this diamond.
Marc Pinte calls to buy massive lottery tickets (10 euros / ticket) for charity. ALS ambassadors Vuile Mong and David Davidse helping a hand. Too bad Marleen Merckx couldn’t be at the appointment. She was a great help with the preparations.
The other raffle prizes (and not the least) exhibited in front of the stage in the middle of the U-shaped hall.
Waiters of Carpe Diem entered the hall to serve the dinner composed by Piet Huysentruyt.
During the various dishes the lottery tickets were sold by charming ladies and that helped the result, viz. 14,500 euro.
After the main course it was time for the raffle draw. The winners were surprised with great prizes donated by various sponsors. At the awards ceremony Danny, Mia and Evy were present and was reiterated by Marc Pinte that thanks to their dedication and enthusiasm that the ALS Association grew to what it is now. They should be proud of the functioning of the ALS Association based mainly on volunteer work.
A super-tasty dessert meant the end of the dinner, but also the beginning of the concert.
22:00:
Some 300 music fans joined the concert hall.
Clouseau opened the concert, then came Leki's and finally Kate Ryan also ALS ambassador.
00:00:
Around midnight, the party started for those who hadn’t yet enough.
Famous DJs like Buscemi, Peter Van De Veire and Peter Verhulst took care of the "ambience" in the room ..
Around 03:30 the party was coming to an end and the last partygoers returned home
It was a successful event for everyone.
Perhaps worth repeating, so that ALS doesn’t get the chance to get into oblivion.
After all that was our purpose! All pictures and videos are available on the website (tab past activities).
Report: Francine, Willy & Dirk
Translation: Marina
