Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba is dedicated to ensuring that every child treated at HSC Winnipeg Children’s Hospital has the best care and experience possible. Funds raised by the Foundation support capital improvements, life-saving equipment, programs that bring comfort to sick children, and health research to improve the lives of children everywhere.

The Foundation continues to inspire our community to support excellence in child health care and child health research. Currently the Foundation’s Better Futures $75 million campaign goal, is Manitoba’s largest-ever donor-driven fundraising campaign for child health care and research.

One area of specific need in the Better Futures campaign that the SDOI Annual Gala is supporting is the Children’s Hospital Emergency Department ("ED") which has many challenges to overcome:

• Buildings & spaces at HSC Children’s ED are no longer sufficient to address the volume of patients.
• Equipment, systems, and technology need to be upgraded, replaced, and enhanced.
• The Truth and Reconciliation report has identified gaps in care for Indigenous patients in areas of acute care and mental health care.
• More patients are presenting with mental health emergencies and the space is not ideal to treat them.
• Specialized research into pediatric emergency preparedness, knowledge translation, facilities and services is needed to support kids across Manitoba.

By supporting the Children’s Hospital Emergency Department revitalization and research, you can make the worst day better for a child needing emergency care.

Please help meet the goal. By supporting the Sons and Daughters of Italy Gala, you are improving the lives of more than 140,000 kids who rely on HSC Children’s and Children’s Hospital Research Institute each year. 

Joe Leuzzi was presented with the
SDOI Heart of the Lion Lifetime Achievement Award 

Sons and Daughters of Italy is proud to present our coveted Heart of the Lion Lifetime Achievement Award to a very deserving member of our Italian community, Mr. Joe Leuzzi.

The presentation was be made at our Annual Gala on March 9th.

The Heart of the Lion Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual who has tirelessly given of themselves and has made significant contributions to the community. 

It is not an annual award; it is given in years where we wish to recognize the contributions made to the greater Winnipeg community by an individual of Italian descent.

Join us in thanking Joe Leuzzi for his valued contributions to our community.

[link to award details and past winners]

Entertainment: Frank Moyo

Frank Moyo is a slow player in a fast world. The Canadian-Italian singer-songwriter and guitarist serenades like a busking bard of the 21st century. His latest releases “Nonna” and “Insieme” have already cultivated a reputation for Moyo in his hometown.

Describing the singer as a suave, smooth and sultry voice with soft hands on the strings is too simple. Discussing feeling with the artist is more candid. “I want people to imagine they are on a beach in Italy listening to my music,” he says. But while one track might take you to the beach, “another might take you into a car going 180 mph.”

The Meal

Great food is always a hallmark of any Sons and Daughters of Italy event and this year's Gala dinner was amazing. 

The dinner featured  Italian salami and cheese in the antipasto plate. The second course featured a light and fresh salad, leading to the next course of vegetarian lasagna.

Hopefully our guests saved room because it was time for the main course, a beautiful filet of beef accompanied by fresh vegetables.

Did we mention there was wine on the table?

As attendees leaned back to pat their tummy with contentment, there was more!  A decadent lemon mousse cake was served along with coffee and tea.

If you now think that was it, you don't understand Italian meals. In the lounge was espresso and pastries!

But there was a great opportunity to lose those calories, as soon the band started and the dance floor was full...