Gala word game event to jump-start fundraising for PAL assisted living program

By Anisa Lancione —

Performing Arts Lodge, or PAL, resident Vivienne Muhling, chair of the annual Scrabble with the Stars event, can’t believe how far her event has come.

Muhling expects to host over 200 guests at the April 6 fund-raiser. “We’ll have to say sorry after that,” she jokes.

“Our first year, five years ago, was very small. We were half the size and we held it in our very own green room,” she recalls. “Instead of having a caterer that year, our friends in the St. Lawrence Market donated food. That’s how we fed people.”

This year’s gala event, at the The Suites at 1 King West, is being done on a grander scale, but the premise remains the same: charity. With a star at every table, patrons will rub shoulders and match wits with some of Canada’s premiere celebs at this sparkling event to help PAL continue its able support of performing arts professionals in the areas of health and affordable housing.

“This year we are playing for a very special cause—we are trying to provide extended care for PAL residents who require assisted living,” Muhling explains. “Some have become so much in need of help that they cannot live in their own apartment: they have had to move out to far-away nursing homes. Assisted living would mean we can have them remain here in their family.”

Funds raised at this year’s event will help to get phase one of the assisted living program off the ground. After that, Muhling predicts, “we will apply for grants and bigger sponsors. But we’re not at that stage yet.”

Still, she adds, “We started PAL here in a very small way and eventually got the money to build this place. It took us almost three years to do that–we hope this won’t take that long.”

PAL already relies on the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood for support. “Indeed we get a lot of volunteers from the community,” Muhling confirms. “For example, Tamara Haney is a dedicated volunteer. We couldn’t put on this event without her. She’s a solid person like that.”

Muhling, despite being a member of the Toronto Scrabble Club, isn’t scheduled to play at the event due to her duties as chair. A self-described “very ardent player in tournaments,” she will be on hand to “pinch hit and play—which I always enjoy—if one of the stars cannot be there.”

The celeb scrabblers include Michael Burgess, Peter Kent, Gordon Pinsent and R.H. Thomson, who have all shared in the fun-filled event since it’s inception, as well as other star players such as Jaymz Bee, Mark Breslin, Dave Broadfoot, Dinah Christie, Jayne Eastwood, Don Harron, Deb McGrath, Colin Mochrie, Marilyn Lightstone, Leah Pinsent, Paul Quarrington, Jackie Richardson, Dione Taylor, and Teresa Tova.

Tickets  are $125: phone (416) 777-9674 or visit scrabblewiththestars.ca.