magazine - Ferrari Life

FORUM
A Trade and Lifestyles Publication
MAGAZINE
Eventi Hotel, New York
Conrad Hotel, New York
Marques d’Elegance: Italian
Automobiles and Exotic Supercars
$4.95 Cdn
Kevin O’Leary
Unveils His
Signature Wines with
Vineland Estates Winery
Oct/Nov 2012
Marques d’ Elegance
Moving Works of Art – Italian Automobiles and Exotic Supercars
… How it All Got Started
S
o….early this year a former client of mine ‘Wendy Wootton’ asked if she
could come to see me to
discuss a charity she is
working with called ‘The
Nelson’s Youth Center’.
As you can imagine, in my role as a
small business owner, without exaggeration, I get at least one call like
this a day. “Can you support my ride?”
“Can you sponsor my game?” “Can you
match your donation of last year to
Autism? Cancer Society? Run For The
Cure? Firemen’s Association? …..on
and on and on”
Reluctantly – I agreed to meet. After
Wendy’s presentation to me, I decided,
that I did in fact want to help. But – my
by Cheryl Cappellano
words to her were: “I want to do more
than just write a cheque.”
The Nelson’s Youth Center is an organization that assists kids with mental
health issues. Their website has a compelling video that illustrates how their
great work offers kids a second chance
at this thing called ‘life’.
I have had many opportunities to fund
raise for numerous more well- known
causes like Alzheimer’s where I would
create auctions and various events in
the workplace to both raise money
and to team build so that was the way
I was thinking.
Since the Nelson’s Youth Center gets
very little in the way of government funding (if any), it was an appealing cause.
That night over dinner, I told my husband Felice about it. He actually became quite tearful and we shared stories about how fortunate we both were
within our respective childhoods to not
experience these challenges.
Felice asked me to connect him with
Wendy as he had numerous ideas that
involved his favourite sport: exotic cars.
Before even meeting with her he was
buzzing with ideas and couldn’t wait to
reach out to his buddies who share the
same passion.
Fast forward to May 2012 when Felice
was granted approval at Paletta Mansion to host the event.
Fast forward to August 19, 2012 event
day. They came. The cars ( 120++ ex
From top:
Angelo Paletta and Sean Patrick; Angelo Paletta
and his father, Pat Paletta; Stephen Krieger,
President, Barton Auto Parts, with Sean Patrick.
otic vehicles- Ferrari, Lamborghini,
Aston Martin, Porsche….) In fact, the
very first registered Driver came all the
way from Dubai. Flying from Dubai to
Amsterdam- Amsterdam to Toronto
and sending us emails all along the
way and drivers from Detroit, Montreal and all points across Ontario.
Some Drivers worked endlessly to ensure their vehicle would be in pristine
shape for the event.
Amazing sponsors like Ferrari of Ontario, Cross Avenue Auto, Paletta International , Melrose Investments, Idea
Factor, Castrol Motor Oil, RBC Wealth
Management, Leggatt Auto Group,
Fairview Tire and Barton Auto Parts
just to name a few. And of course oodles of car-adoring fans.
Paletta Mansion was part of Felice’s
overall vision to re-create in Canada
an event similar to the famous Pebble Beach Event south of the border,
where car enthusiasts can meet and
display their ‘moving works of art’ in
an exclusive environment.
The goals where clear.
1.Create an event where Drivers can
share their passion for their vehicles
2.Raise funds for the Nelson’s Youth
Center
3.Draw like-minded Sponsors to the
event
4.Ensure that the ‘Female’ participants
could enjoy more than the ride
5.Create an exciting day for the general public to see an amazing display
of ‘moveable art’
A VIP Lounge, a spectacular luncheon
with many choices from pasta to steak
to salmon, exclusive wines from the
prestigious Tre Amici ( who carry Jarno
Truly- F1 Driver’s special wine) , a fashion show hosted by Burlington’s finest retailers- put on by our own localprofessional Model Agency thrilled us
during lunch as they displayed their Igotta-have-this-fashions
throughout
the mansion and onto the grounds
near the cars, a beer garden hosted
by Muskoka Brewery, special red debossed passport wallets for the Female
Driver/Passenger, glass monogramed
trophies to thank the Sponsors, glass
monogramed Trophies to award best
in class vehicles, a world class violinist (
flown in for this event), Harmony Jewellers brought the Police to watch over
their jaw-dropping display.
Photos by Scarfone Photography
Event organizers Felice and Cheryl Cappellano
It was- in a word- SPECTACULAR!
And what about the volunteers? They
stayed late at the office for briefing
meetings. Came to the event at 7:00 am
for driver registration and worked right
through to show closing at 6:00 pm.
Licked, stamped, folded, prepared,
wrapped. If it was part of the event and
they did it!
From top:
Felice Cappellano present winners with Marques
d’Elegance Awards; PJ Mercamti, Sean Patrick
and Peter Mercanti; Sean and Ana Patrick.
Many of the drivers and sponsors held
numerous pre-event BBQ’s etc., to
drive traffic and support to the eventall in the name of the kids at the Nelson’s Youth Center. They paid for food
and drinks and supplies selflessly.
(One driver in particular had to get
up at 4:00 am to leave his cozy bed in
Richmond Hill to attend a pre-event
taping from CHCH TV Morning Show
at 6:00 am on the Paletta Mansion
grounds). THAT is amazing! All done
without complaint.
And perhaps the best part of all? The
smiles on the faces of the Drivers as
they exited the Mansion- exclaiming
their delight, calling it the ‘Best Event
EVER!” and pledging their participation for next year.
Tired is not the appropriate word for
how you feel after pulling off an event
in 3 months that normally takes a year.
Overjoyed is the word for how we
feel about raising approximately
$17,000.00.
Ecstatic is the perfect word for how
great it is that all of the participants
were happy.
In closing – I have used the word ‘we’
here quite liberally – when in fact, it is
Felice who grabbed the ball and ran
with it. I was just the requisite cheerleader.