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economist sunlsuntribune community saturday may 6 2006 stephen lewis left expresses his gratitude for support of york region residents for the stephen lewis foundations if i had a million dollars gala wednesday which featured the barenaked ladies above and amanda tsang and garry lu of the markham district high school chamber choir and percussion ensemble above right gala cochairpersons mary anna beer and steve falk right also spoke at the event york leads aids fight lew african concert benefits foundation let voices of local school choirs take you to africa more than 200 students from five schools are putting on a special concert to raise money for the stephen lewis foundation to help fight the war against aids in africa may 15 from 630 pm to 9 pm at the newmarket the atre students will be accom panied by a variety of african musicians and singers a silent auction will also beheld to make a donation to the auction call mrs murphy at 9058368041 tickets are 15 per person and available at the theatre box office at 9059535122 by teresa latchford staff writer if the war against aids in africa can be won york region will deserve much of the credit stephen lewis announced to a soldout crowd at the if i had a mil lion dollars gala wednesday the foundation has received 11 million over the past 212 years he told 1000 stephen lewis foundation supporters who enjoyed a night of music commentary and inspirational speakers at le pare conference and banquet centre in thomhill it has allowed me to travel across the world and boast about york region much to the dismay of toronto and peel in front of a spectacular african horizon backdrop mr lewis called the regions movement on the isstfe supernatural and named numerous initiatives taking place in africa doctors without borders more access to education and medical informa tion the construction of orphanages and support of grandmothers who have buried their children and taken in grandchildren because of funding from the foundation if we can finally subdue this attack on the human condition you will have been a big part of the solution he told the crowd and there is nothing more noble than improving the human con dition the efforts inside and outside of the school are most impressive he said it feels like a renaissance battling the issue of the day earlier in the evening students from public and catholic school boards packed a room at le pare for a sympo sium just for them i was really inspired by the speech es said megan manohar a grade 8 student from mackenzie glenn public school i hope one day i will do some thing to help others like those people have the banquet hall buzzed with stu dent voices expressing a desire to go to africa and hand out food water cloth ing and medicine or provide education that passion for the cause has united every school in york region we all want to be proactive dr gw williams secondary schools michelle viengkone said there are so many schools involved and it makes me proud we are taking another step toward finding a solution together students also played music danced and entertained in the lobby while gala- goers bid on silent auction items throughout dinner guest speakers graced the stage tears welled in committee member mbonella phiris eyes as she talked about how her family of six siblings has lost four to aids and how her hivpos itive daughter attends a clinic in africa funded by the foundation my daughter said to me you just need to let them know we are mankrul she said wiping her eyes eighty per cent of success is just showing up and york region has shown up in a big way soul influence and the barenaked ladies serenaded the crowd through out the night celebrating the 960000 raised for the foundation to make a donation go to- www yon4stephenlewisfoundationca or www stephenlewisfbundationorg ashgrove spa for a better looking lifestyle others bay ii 6633 hwy 7th suite 304 markham southwest corner of hwy 7 9th line tel 905201 0343 wwwashqrovespacom