Books2Eat Gala

About EPCOR Utilities Inc.

EPCOR Utilities Inc. (EPCOR) builds, owns and operates electrical transmission and distribution networks, water and wastewater treatment facilities and infrastructure in Canada. EPCOR is headquartered in Edmonton.

Fast facts about EPCOR

• EPCOR was named Alberta's top employer in 2009, 2010, and 2012.
• EPCOR provides water, wastewater, and distribution services to over one million people in more than 75 communities across Western Canada and the United States.
• EPCOR distributes about 14% of the province of Alberta's energy consumption to more than 300,000 residential and commercial customers in Edmonton.
• In Alberta, EPCOR provides regulated rate electricity service to more than 600,000 residential and small commercial customers.
• EPCOR is governed by an independent Board of Directors and its sole shareholder is the City of Edmonton.

Libraries are in demand more than ever. EPL continues to be the second most visited destination in our city. In 2011 we welcomed over 13 million visitors and over 200,000 people attended free programs at EPL. Edmontonians from all walks of life need, use and love their library.  

Great libraries shape great cities. They are instrumental in building the economic, social and cultural foundation of a vibrant city. Every day thousands of Edmontonians directly benefit from a wide variety of services from EPL:

• Children attend free early literacy and school-aged programs giving them a jumpstart on essential literacy skills.
• New Canadians utilize ESL materials and attend free English practice programs to help master the language while establishing connections to the commmunity.
• Adults take advantage of one-on-one computer training and are able to try some of the latest eTechnology.
• Edmontonians who have fallen on hard times find a sanctuary where they can access resources to help take their lives in a new direction.

EPL is generously funded through grants from the City of Edmonton and the Province of Alberta. EPL is also committed to raising private funds to support services and special programs that help make our great library even better. Both public and private support is a necessity for a great library.

EPL turns 100 in 2013 and our 2012 Books2Eat Gala kick started our centennial fundraising campaign, which will focus on accessibility and ensuring all Edmontonians have easy access to essential library services throughout our growing city:

1. Welcome Baby: Investing in early childhood literacy is the most cost-effective strategy to ensure a community's long-term economic prosperity. Welcome Baby is an expansion of EPL's successful partnership with Alberta Health Services and will deliver library cards and early literacy resources at public health clinics as part of the newborn immunization process ensuring every child born in Edmonton has equal access to early literacy materials needed to ensure success later in life.

2. Literacy Vans: Not your traditional bookmobile, EPL literacy vans will bring the latest technology resources as well as library programs and services to people in new and underserved communities throughout our city including seniors' homes, daycares, youth groups, schools and more. We do not want location or transportation issues to be a barrier for those who need us the most.

Sponsorship Opportunities

To learn more about other sponsorship opportunies with EPL, contact Tina Thomas, Director, Marketing and Fund Development, at 780-496-7046 or tthomas@epl.ca.

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Presenting Sponsor

Silver Sponsors

 Bronze Sponsors

The Art of Edible Art

Each year our talented cake artists create fantastic works of art. At the 2012 gala, we challenged them to create all things action and espionage as part of our action packed Start the Spark theme.

Guests were dazzled by cakes from:

• Art of Cake
• Barbara Spencer
• Cake Couture
• Cheryl's Creations
• Fantasyland Hotel
• Infinite Yums

Great Packages, Great Cause

Our silent auction packages included items and services that thrilled and delighted, including:

• An exclusive dinner for you and three friends at The Marc with Mayor Stephen Mandel and his wife Lynn.
• A night of dinner and theatre in Edmonton's downtown core with dinner at Normand's Bistro, two tickets to The Penelopiad at the Citadel and a one night stay at The Hotel MacDonald.
• A luxurious weekend getaway to Jasper National park, featuring a two-night bed and breakfast package at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge and a three-day Lexus car rental.
• A shopping makeover with a $100 gift certificate to Southgate and two hours with one of Southgate's professional stylists. Debut your new look at a romantic dinner for two at Zaika Indian Bistro followed by a jazz performance at the Yardbird Suite. End the night by settling into your cozy Sterling Suite at The Matrix Hotel.
• A family fun package featuring a family pass to the Telus World of Science, two family choice passes for West Edmonton Mall attractions, four Snow Valley passes and dinner for four at The Mongolie Grill.

Ruth Kelly is the president and CEO of Venture Publishing Inc., and the publisher and editor-in-chief of the award-winning Alberta Venture and Alberta Oil magazines and the online publication unlimitedmagazine.com. Venture Publishing’s custom publishing division also produces magazines for a variety of clients including Finning Canada, Alberta Cancer Foundation, Consulting Engineers of Alberta, Merit Contractors, Alberta Health Services, United Way of Capital Region and Petroleum Services Association of Canada, among others.

Ruth currently serves on the boards of the Banff Centre Leadership program and Travel Alberta. She is president of the Edmonton Business Council for the Visual Arts and founding chair of the Edmonton chapter of the International Women’s Forum. Ruth also chairs EPCOR’s Community Essentials Council, which directs EPCOR’s annual philanthropic activities. In 2005, she served as the chair of the board of directors for the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce and was chair of sponsorship for Edmonton’s bid for Expo 2017.

Ruth was recognized as a Global Woman of Vision in 1998, a YWCA Woman of Distinction in the Entrepreneur category in 2003 and received the Advertising Club of Edmonton’s 2004 Fellowship Award for contributions to the industry and the community. In 2005, she was selected as the Allard Chair of Business by the MacEwan School of Business and received a Centennial Medal for service to the province. The Canadian Women in Communications selected Ruth for their 2008 Woman of the Year award, making her the first Albertan to receive this national honour. She received an honorary degree in business from NAIT in 2008. On the occasion of Venture Publishing’s 15^th anniversary, the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association awarded Ruth with a Lifetime Achievement in Publishing Award.

Missed the gala? Attended the event and would like to relive some of the most inspirational moments? We invite you to watch some of the inspirational speeches and videos from the 2012 Books2Eat Gala.