Lumière Rock gets the party started for Queensway Carleton Hospital

Canadian tech legend Terry Matthews was the undeniable life of the party at the annual Lumière Rock gala his hotel co-hosted Thursday for Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH).

The 81-year-old founder and chairman of Wesley Clover International was seen moving some of the furniture away in order to expand the dance floor. He then danced and danced, ridding himself of his blazer in the process, as the live band, Rebecca Noelle and the Rebels, delivered a stellar performance. “Seriously, his energy and enthusiasm,” QCH Foundation president and CEO Shannon Gorman later remarked. “He has more energy than most people I know.”

If ever there was a night to party like a rockstar, it was at Lumière. This year’s theme was rock and roll, which meant some of the 400-plus attendees donned rocker wigs, concert t-shirts and leather. 

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Not only did the evening raise nearly $125,000 for QCH, it also boosted awareness for Ottawa’s only full-service hospital in the west end, described by Matthews as “incredibly important” to the community. It serves one of the fastest growing and aging hospital catchment areas in the country, regularly operating at or beyond capacity.

“We need your support and we need you to spread the word that we’re about to launch a very large campaign to make our hospital even better,” Gorman told her audience on stage, rocking the iconic Axl Rose look, from Guns N’ Roses.

Attendees were formally welcomed by Brookstreet’s general manager Nyle Kelly, who was delighted to see so many guests embrace this year’s theme in their own unique ways. “Everyone’s version of rock is a little different.”

To date, Lumière has donated more than $1.5 million to local charities, said Kelly, who holds a special place in his heart for QCH: both his children were born there. The evening was presented by Brookstreet in collaboration with Wesley Clover Foundation, which is the philanthropic arm of Wesley Clover International. Returning as the presenting sponsor was RBC.

The gala featured 10 culinary food stations, each paired with wine or beer. Also available were complimentary tequila tasting, VIP bourbon tasting, a bracelet bar, and a variety of fun photo-op opportunities. As is custom, Lumière closed with an exciting fireworks show.

Especially unique was the pop-up tattoo parlour offering the real deal. John Robinson, president and CEO of Intega IT, wasn’t quite sold on the idea of getting permanently inked at the party. “Maybe in an hour or two; we’ll see how the whiskey tasting goes.”

An Ottawa couple that never disappoints when it comes to themed parties is Bruce Raganold, director of development for Welch LLP, and his wife, Giselle. They love dressing up. He put his entire costume together from items he had at home, discreetly covering his nipples with tape because they were “sticking out too much” through his rocker mesh top, he told OBJ.social. 

Also known for getting into the spirit of themed events is emcee and live auctioneer Ryan Watson from Raising the Bid (remember his Anne of Green Gables straw hat with red braids from Evening in the Maritimes?). This time, he donned a punk rock wig to sell off popular packages, including a 100-level suite with 18 tickets to an upcoming Ottawa Senators versus Montreal Canadiens game. Always in demand during the Lumière live auction is the three-day golfing experience for four at Matthews’ five-star Celtic Manor Resort in Wales. The package prompted a bidding war that saw the highest offer of $10,500 go to Nik Lemieux, owner of financial services fintech company Mirabel Management.

Earlier in the night, Matthews hosted the top sponsors for a reception. There were representatives seen from RBC, Brazeau Seller Law, Royal LePage Team Realty, Star Motors and Accora Village.

Alex Lopez provided the live music at the reception. Matthews brought it to everyone’s attention that it was Lopez’s birthday. This bit of news prompted the crowd to serenade the musician with the Happy Birthday song.

Matthews also taught his guests the playful extended version sung back in Wales, where he was born and raised — long before he moved to Canada and became one of our country’s most successful tech entrepreneurs. He was knighted by our late queen in 2001.

caroline@obj.ca