They loved him so much the first time, they just had to bring him back.
Legendary singer-songwriter Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo fame once again headlined the popular Up Close and Unplugged benefit, held at the National Arts Centre on Wednesday night.
“Jim is just a great guy, and he gave such a great performance the last go-around,” Peter Charbonneau told OBJ.social at the reception held in the NAC’s new City Room. It’s just one of the many gorgeous new spaces at the renovated National Arts Centre.
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Now in its 13th year, the invite-only Up Close and Unplugged benefit is a successful collaboration between the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation and National Arts Centre Foundation. Past performers have included Matt and Jill Barber, Alan Doyle and Colin James.
“The staff at the NAC Foundation and cancer foundation do such a good job of seamlessly putting this together for us,” said Charbonneau. “It makes the job of co-chairs that much easier.”
Charbonneau, a former senior executive at telecom company Newbridge Networks, co-chaired the benefit with fellow cancer survivor Stephen Greenberg, president of property management company Osgoode Properties, and Gregory Sanders. He’s past board chair of the cancer foundation and the head of the tax group at Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall.
This year’s theme was “Evening in Manhattan.” Guests sipped on their signature cocktails (manhattans, of course) while surrounded by New York City-themed signage and props. The room’s centrepiece was a Central Park-like vintage carousel (it’s amazing what the NAC keeps in its Tickle Trunk). Those who attended in 2014, when Cuddy first performed at Up Close, may remember the carousel’s presence then, when organizers went with circus decor.
Charbonneau sits on the NAC Foundation’s audit and finance committee and also co-chairs the ORCF’s Courage Campaign. Professionally, he sits on a couple of boards, including Mitel Networks, but considers himself mostly retired.
The story of how Charbonneau became such a keen and committed cancer fundraiser is an interesting one. Things weren’t looking good for him after he learned, years ago, that his stage-four colorectal cancer had spread to his liver. He promised his physician, Dr. Hartley Stern, that he would keep raising funds for cancer if the good doc could keep him alive.
The gathering of 150 business leaders, sponsors and philanthropists enjoyed a three-course dinner followed by an intimate performance from Cuddy, who always puts on a captivating show, in the NAC’s transformed Fourth Stage.
The $1,250-a-ticket benefit is usually held in June but was delayed this year due to the NAC’s ambitious three-phase architectural rejuvenation project, which is near completion.
Jason Shinder, executive vice-president and principal at District Realty, ended up being the top bidder, at $9,000, on a luxury golf holiday, for two, to the five-star Celtic Manor Resort in Wales. The $5,000-package was donated by Wesley Clover, whose chairman is Ottawa high-tech legend Terry Matthews.
With Shinder’s generous bid, the evening was able to edge out its fundraising goal to raise a net total of $200,633.
– caroline@obj.ca
