2025 Past Events


speaker: DR. PAULA ROCHON | may 12


Cinq à Sept | may 8

Our club's first Cinq à Sept gathering was a lovely success, graciously hosted at Ellen's home. Guests arrived with a wonderful assortment of appetizers to share, creating a table full of variety and culinary creativity. The evening was filled with warm conversation, laughter, and delightful company — a perfect start to what we hope will become a cherished tradition.

Many thanks to Ellen for opening her home, and to everyone who contributed to such a memorable evening!


evergreen brickworks walk | may 9


wine tasting | may 1

The wine tasting at the Wine Conservatory was a spectacular success! Surrounded by the elegance of the private club and the edginess of Toronto's business core, the guests enjoyed a riveting atmosphere.. Thank you to everyone who attended and made the evening unforgettable. A special thank you to sommelier Divya from LaBarrique Wine Consulting, whose expertise and passion elevated the experience. Cheers to great wine/cheese pairings, wonderful company, and many more events to come! Voila' a sample of what we enjoyed: Domaine Felettig Crémant de Bourgogne Blanc de Noirs; Bourgogne, France paired with Délice de Bourgogne: a soft and creamy triple cream cow's milk cheese. 


fundraiser for romero house | april 24

On April 24th UWC was proud to host a heartfelt and inspiring evening in support of Romero House, a sanctuary settlement house for refugees. The event was graced by the presence of Romero House’s founder Mary Jo Leddy.

The evening featured three stirring and heartfelt speeches that left a lasting impact on all who attended. Executive Director Francesca Aldi Ross spoke passionately about the ongoing mission and newest developments at Romero House. Maria Daniella, a former resident shared a moving personal story of heartbreak and resilience. Nancy Lam, our keynote speaker shared the memory of her mother’s journey and her commitment to inclusion for all highlighting the challenges newcomers face and the critical importance of advocacy and support.

Guests had the opportunity to bid on 35 enticing silent auction gifts with all proceeds supporting the work of Romero House. The night ended on a sweet note with a delicious dessert buffet.

This event was not only a fundraiser – it was a celebration of community, hope and the power of welcome. Thank you to all who contributed and attended making the evening such a success. Together we continue to build a home where strangers become neighbours.


international women’s day | march 18

A Remarkable International Women’s Day Celebration

What a fantastic International Women’s Day event! With 118 incredible women in attendance, we had the privilege of hearing Dr. Jean Marmoreo share her inspiring journey and reflections on the advancement of women in Canada over the last 80 years. From humble beginnings marked by challenges, including violence and anti-feminism, to breaking barriers—graduating from nursing school and later from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto—her story was a testament to resilience and progress.

The afternoon was filled with warmth, meaningful conversations, a spectacular meal, exciting prizes, and uplifting stories that left us all inspired. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended and to the dedicated volunteers who made this event such a success.


coldest night of the year | February 22

On February 22, our UWCT Walkers team participated in the Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser for the Fort York Food Bank. We raised over $4500!

Thank you to our walkers (Naomi N, Marianne A and new members Cathy B and Carolyn E) and everyone who donated.


SPEAKER: DR. MICHAEL MAK | FEBRUARY 10

Are you ready to turn the clock back one hour on March 9 as Daylight Saving Time kicks in once again? It is safe to say that at the conclusion of Dr. Michael Mak’s presentation on February 10, everyone in his audience was convinced that Daylight Saving Time is a saving, not worth it.

Dr. Mak, who is a staff psychiatrist at Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and a specialist in sleep medicine, presented very persuasive evidence that the loss of one hour’s sleep every March when Daylight Saving Time begins contributes to multiple problems, including increases in heart issues, strokes, cognitive challenges, driving accidents, depression, social disruption, and even certain types of infertility.

Dr. Mak’s talk was accompanied by many informative slides pointing to international studies that have been carried out and statistics that have been compiled which provide evidence of the harms that can be attributed to the annual switch to Daylight Saving Time.

Dr. Mak took many questions and comments from the audience, who clearly found his topic engaging. As Dr. Mak is a recognized specialist in the management of insomnia and sleep disorders, many members in the audience were eager to hear not only about the detriments of Daylight-Saving Time, but also about the general topic of sleep health, and Dr. Mak provided helpful advice for improving sleep and developing good sleep habits.


fort york food bank volunteering | february

In December 2024, our club donated $6300 to the Fort York Food Bank. This food bank, like dozens is this city, does amazing work helping to provide food and household items to low income individuals and families in the neighbourhood.

Then in February, on a cold and snowy afternoon, we had 12 members come to the food bank to volunteer.

One in ten Torontonians rely on food banks, but very few people know what happens there. We got a glimpse of what's involved, as we helped serve clients groceries, restock the shelves for the next day, and clean the premises. From donation to dinner table, there is a lot work involved!


bingo night | february 5

Our Bingo party in February was a huge success, with every single player winning a prize - with many winning more than one, and some winning 4 and 5 prizes!   Thank you to everyone who brought in their treasures for the prize table - the huge variety of prizes is always fun to see.  We had everything from socks to potato chips, books, lots of jewellery, a toothbrush, teapot cozy, and many more.  Please hide away your unwanted items for our next Bingo, very likely in the fall.

Not only did everyone have a wonderful time, but we also raised $316 towards our next Toilet in Cambodia.