From left, Brookstreet Hotel general manager Nyle Kelly, Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH) Foundation president and CEO Shannon Gorman, RBC regional vice president Dion Farentino, Brookstreet Hotel owner Terry Matthews, and QCH president and CEO Dr. Andrew Falconer at the All That Glitters Is Gold-themed Lumière charity gala held Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips
QCH gets golden treatment as Brookstreet Hotel’s Lumière raises $222K
Who knew when Brookstreet Hotel’s annual Lumière Gala went for gold this year that it would break a couple of records along the way?
Its All That Glitters Is Gold-themed evening drew a sold-out crowd of nearly 600 guests and brought in a record $222,000 for Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation.
The total includes a $20,000 contribution from Accora Village, which was one of the corporate sponsors that night.
“Health is everything,” Ottawa tech titan Terry Matthews told the crowd from the stage, neatly summing up one of the reasons for the big party at his Brookstreet Hotel. It’s located in Kanata North, home to Canada’s largest technology park and a business community that Matthews helped shape through decades of entrepreneurship and investment.
Matthews spoke about how fortunate Canadians are to live in a city such as Ottawa and in a country with a strong government, natural beauty and a flag he proudly called one of the best on the planet. “We should be so damn lucky,” said Matthews, founder and chairman of Ottawa-based private global investment firm and holding company Wesley Clover International.
Earlier that evening, the Welsh-born business leader also spoke at a reception held with top sponsors, including presenting sponsor RBC. Matthews brought his playful side, delivering his remarks while sporting a novelty angel halo.
And as if Dion Farentino’s glittery gold jacket didn’t make enough of a statement, Matthews also convinced the regional vice-president at RBC to wear the halo headband while delivering his remarks.
Farentino sits on the foundation board of Queensway Carleton Hospital — a hospital he never needed until this past Tuesday when he was treated for kidney stones. “The care that I received was absolutely fantastic,” said Farentino while expressing his appreciation to the healthcare team that looked after him.
RBC regional vice-president Dion Farentino embraced the All That Glitters Is Gold theme at Lumière, a charity gala presented by RBC in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital and held at Brookstreet Hotel in Kanata North. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Terry Matthews, owner of Brookstreet Hotel and founder and chairman of Wesley Clover International; Veronica Farmer, chief marketing officer at Wesley Clover; and Paul Chiarelli, president and COO of Wesley Clover, at Lumière Gala held at Brookstreet on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026 in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Brazeau Seller Law partner Fred Seller, a long-time volunteer leader with Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH) Foundation, and Stacey Seller; the firm’s director of operations, Tricia Smith; Brazeau Seller Law partner David Reid (back row) and his partner Jesse Reid (also back row); and Nancy Walkington and Harold Feder, partner at Brazeau Seller Law, at the VIP reception portion of Lumière, a charity gala held in support of QCH Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Nyle Kelly, general manager of Brookstreet Hotel and The Marshes Golf Club; musician Jeff Rogers, who was dressed head to toe in gold for the All That Glitters Is Gold theme, and Terry Matthews, owner of Brookstreet Hotel at Lumière, a charity gala held at the hotel in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Lindsay Germano
Lynn Laberge and Yves Laberge, vice president and general manager of Star Motors of Ottawa Mercedes-Benz, at Lumière, a charity gala held at Brookstreet Hotel in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Jennifer Cameron (director, Senators Community Foundation), Karen Sparks (executive director, Wesley Clover Parks), Jacqueline Belsito (president, Senators Community Foundation), Ottawa Senators player Thomas Chabot and his wife, Marion Pandreau Chabot, who’s expecting soon, and Cassandra Chiasson (events specialist, Senators Community Foundation) during the reception for top sponsors of the All That Glitters Is Gold-themed Lumière charity gala held Brookstreet Hotel in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Annis O’Sullivan Vollebekk partner Ed Herweyer and Beth Herweyer, Tanis Browning-Shelp and Annis O’Sullivan Vollebekk president/partner Andy Shelp at the sponsors’ reception portion of Lumière, a charity gala held in support of QCH Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Technology entrepreneur Terry Matthews, owner of Brookstreet Hotel, had a little fun with his VIP audience before the 2026 Lumière Gala, delivering his remarks at the VIP reception wearing a novelty halo. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Lindy Ledohowski, vice president of relationship management at RBCx; Ray Rashed, managing director at RBCx; and RBC regional vice president Dion Farentino, who’s also on the board of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, at the All That Glitters Is Gold-themed Lumière Gala hosted by Brookstreet Hotel in support of QCH Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation board chair Mia Hempey, CEO at Nelligan Law, and her husband, Darron Barr, client engagement and marketing manager at Nokia, at Brookstreet Hotel for Lumière Gala in support of QCH Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Shannon Gorman, president and CEO of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, and Claudette McLennan at Lumière, a charity gala held at Brookstreet Hotel on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026 in support of the west-end hospital. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, longtime Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation supporter Alan Whitten, chair of its Leadership Council, with his wife, Marianne; Karen Sparks, a fellow council member and executive director of Wesley Clover Parks; and her husband, Andy Sparks of Royal LePage Team Realty, with gold-clad pianist and singer Jeff Rogers adding even more sparkle to the scene at Lumière. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Catherine Clark, president of Catherine Clark Communications and co-founder of The Honest Talk, and her husband, Queensway Carleton Hospital’s past board chair, Chad Schella, associate vice president of government relations at CIBC, at the Lumière charity gala held at Brookstreet Hotel in support of QCH. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation past board chair Alan Doak, partner and co-founder at Proveras Commercial Realty; Jennifer Gordon, executive in residence and executive director at the Telfer Executive Programs at the University of Ottawa; and QCH Foundation board member Steven Herzog, COO at Emond Harnden LLP, at Lumière, a charity gala held at Brookstreet Hotel. Photo by Caroline Phillips
This year marks an exciting milestone for QCH: it turned 50. For the past four years, it’s been the beneficiary charity of Lumière, an annual fundraising evening dating back to 2003, when Brookstreet first held its splashy grand opening.
Alan Whitten, founder of Huntington Properties, is leading the foundation’s Leadership Council of community champions, philanthropists and business leaders. Volunteer members on hand that night included Fred Seller, partner at Brazeau Seller Law, and Karen Sparks, executive director of Wesley Clover Parks. Brookstreet general manager Nyle Kelly officially welcomed guests to Lumière before conversation turned to another reason everyone had gathered that night.
“We’re here to have fun,” said Matthews, who noted that he and Kelly have worked hard to make Brookstreet a place where people enjoy spending time. The luxury hotel and conference destination includes dining, live entertainment, spa and fitness facilities, golf at The Marshes and even pickleball.
Said Matthews, with no tinsel halo suspended over his head this time: “So, in life, let’s make sure we all have fun. Let’s make sure we have good health. Let’s make sure we all support Queensway Carleton Hospital. That, to me, is how we all live well.”
The venue went all-in on the gold theme with help from event planning and décor expert Sharon Bosley House of Avant-Garde Designs (her daughter Saxon House was impossible to miss in a pair of larger-than-life gold angel wings).
The gala featured multiple food and beverage stations, live music from vocalist Rebecca Noelle and her band, as well as musician Jeff Rogers belting out Elton John tunes while in head-to-toe gold. It’s a tradition for the evening to end with a fireworks show.
Singer Rebecca Noelle performed during Brookstreet Hotel’s All That Glitters Is Gold-themed Lumière Charity Gala in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Dion Farentino, regional vice president at presenting sponsor RBC; Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH) president and CEO Dr. Andrew Falconer; Brookstreet Hotel general manager Nyle Kelly; and Shannon Gorman, president and CEO of QCH Foundation with the ceremonial cheque revealing the more than $222,000 raised at this year’s Lumière charity gala. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Saxon House and Brookstreet Hotel’s Rosanna Versace helped bring the Lumière charity gala’s gold theme to life at Brookstreet Hotel. Photo by Lindsay Germano
Ryan Watson from Raising the Bid served as emcee and live auctioneer of such packages as the golf trip for four to Matthews’ five-star Celtic Manor Resort, one of Wales’s leading luxury resorts.
Lots of people wanted it, but none seemed more determined to take it home than Carol Zito, who made the winning bid of $13,000. Her other half is Rocco Zito, owner of RGZ Cambridge.
“I was excited to win because we bid on it last year but didn’t get it,” Zito told CiTC.
“I want to go to Scotland,” she added.
When it was pointed out that the trip was actually to Wales, Zito was just as happy. “That’s perfect. I just want to go away. I’m down for any trip.”
One of the donated hockey packages included 12 tickets in a 200-level suite to a game this October. Watson — after acknowledging that Sens player Thomas Chabot was in the room — promised the crowd that if the bidding reached $5,000, Chabot would do a VIP meet and greet at the end of the game.
“Chabot, are you cool with it?” he asked, to which Chabot responded from the back of the room with a solid thumbs up.
The winning $5,000 bid came from Derek Love, senior vice-president and area manager at EllisDon.
Top bidder Carol Zito was all smiles after winning the Celtic Manor Wales Getaway at Lumière, a charity gala for Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation held at Brookstreet Hotel. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Derek Love from EllisDon and Ottawa Senators player Thomas Chabot, who congratulated Love for winning an Ottawa Senators game night that includes an after-game meet and greet with Chabot. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Farhat Ainuddin, owner of Farrah Fine Jewellers, on stage at Brookstreet Hotel with the custom-designed pendant she donated to the live auction at Lumière, a charity gala for Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Lumière, a charity gala held at Brookstreet Hotel in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, saw attendees help raise thousands of dollars for the west-end hospital during the live auction portion of the evening. Photo by Lindsay Germano
Brookstreet Hotel general manager Nyle Kelly, left, on stage with Raising the Bid emcee and auctioneer Ryan Watson, who worked at the hotel years ago. Photo by Lindsay Germano
For the second year in a row, Marc Latreille from United Building Products was the highest bidder on a 100-level suite to an upcoming Ottawa Senators versus Montreal Canadiens game at the Canadian Tire Centre, donated by Wesley Clover Foundation. Photo by Lindsay Germano
Pam Stewart created this work of art during Lumière for it to be sold off by live auctioneer Ryan Watson from Raising the Bid. Photo by Lindsay Germano
Also sold was a medical assessment and fitness membership at La Vie private medical clinic; a luxury getaway to Fairmont Montebello donated by Star Motors of Ottawa and Fairmont; a custom-designed jewellery piece from Farrah Fine Jewellers; a luxury stay at Brookstreet with tickets to a Sens game and dinner; and a painting completed during Lumière by artist Pam Stewart.
Steve Ball, president of the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association, said Lumière shows just how much hotels contribute to Ottawa’s charitable event scene. “They play such a critical role,” said Ball.
It’s a year-round effort to plan and execute Lumière. No two galas are the same, which means the hotel is constantly trying to reinvent the gala with a new theme each year. Few are more invested in that process than main organizer Rosanna Versace, who sees the event as a chance to showcase both the hotel and what it has to offer.
She hates to see the evening come to an end and, when it does, she’s already thinking ahead to the next gala.
“I feel like this gala is my — I don’t want to say ‘baby’ because everybody says that — but I’m just so proud of this event. Every year it does just keep getting better and better.”
From left, Brookstreet Hotel’s Rosanna Versace, who spends the whole year planning and dreaming about Lumière, with Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation’s Shannon Bain, vice president of marketing and communications, and foundation president and CEO Shannon Gorman at the All That Glitters Is Gold-themed gala. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Kyle Gourgon (Ottawa Senators), Jennifer Cameron (Senators Community Foundation), Ottawa Senators player Thomas Chabot and his expectant wife Marion Pandreau Chabot, Jenna MacLeod (Capital Sports Management), Jacqueline Belsito (Senators Community Foundation), Tamy Bell (CHEO Foundation), Evan Bell (Lincoln Heights Ford), Cassandra Chiasson (Senators Community Foundation), Jenna Mitchell and Matthew Franczyk (Ottawa Senators Hockey Club) at Brookstreet Hotel for Lumière. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Arielle Campbell on the dance floor with Gerald De Luca while Rebecca Noelle and her band perform at the Lumière charity gala at Brookstreet Hotel in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Lindsay Germano
From left, Jay Conohan, founder of the LoudCup Company, and his wife Amanda Conohan with life-of-the-party Terry Matthews, Aniseh Rashed and Ray Rashed, managing director at RBCx, at the All That Glitters Is Gold-themed Lumière charity gala, held at Brookstreet Hotel in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Annis O’Sullivan Vollebekk partner Ed Herweyer showing off the gold glitter available to guests at the All That Glitters Is Gold-themed Lumière Gala in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Lindsay Germano
From left, Juniper Locilento, CEO of the National Arts Centre Foundation, and Mila Starodoub, branch manager at RBC Dominion Securities, at Lumière, a charity gala held at Brookstreet Hotel in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Aaron Smith, Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation director Andrea Timlin, Tina Ferrone, Susan Prior and John Ouellette, vice president of strategic philanthropy at QCH Foundation, at Brookstreet Hotel for its All That Glitters Is Gold-themed charity gala in support of QCH. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Terry Matthews, owner of Brookstreet Hotel, congratulated Susan St. Amand, president and CEO of The Sirius Group, after she was a raffle prize winner at the Lumière charity gala in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Lindsay Germano
Talk about committing to the theme: Kevin Carroll, CEO of Kevin James Consulting, was dressed for the All That Glitters Is Gold theme of the Lumière charity gala in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Lindsay Germano
From left, Hilary Hurst, Wanting Zhao, Nargis Schutt (RBC Wealth Management) and Samaneh Nikpoor at Brookstreet Hotel for its All That Glitters Is Gold-themed charity gala in support of QCH. Photo by Lindsay Germano
Shannon Gorman, president and CEO of Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH) Foundation, on stage to help welcome attendees to the Lumière charity gala in support of QCH Foundation. Photo by Lindsay Germano
From left, Queensway Carleton Hospital pediatrician Dr. Sumeet Sadana, Brigitte Dionne, Dan McManus, Tanya Ramsamy, Shelita Dattani (former head of pharmacy at QCH), Richard Rambaran and Stephanie Pereira at the All That Glitters Is Gold-themed Lumière, held at Brookstreet Hotel in support of QCH. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Lisa Desroches and Steve Ball, president of the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association (OGHA), at Brookstreet Hotel for its Lumière charity gala in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips
The Lumière charity gala at Brookstreet Hotel included a designated speakeasy-style whiskey tasting room. Photo by Lindsay Germano
Lumière lived up to its name as guests watched the traditional fireworks display light up the sky above Brookstreet Hotel. Photo by Lindsay Germano
This article is made possible through sponsorship from Star Motors, WEALTH (WCPD), Syntax Strategic, RBC, Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, ExecHealth, Altis Recruitment, Bell Canada, First Avenue Investment Counsel, Welch LLP, Brazeau Seller Law, Westland Benefits and Ottawa Rapid FC.
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