Promise Auction raises $2,000 through interesting opportunities
On January 16, U of T Law held the annual Promise Auction, and raised more than $2,000 for the Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society.
The event is a symbol of the law school’s commitment to promoting reconciliation. This year’s auction was organized by Hannah Bourgeois (1L), Molly Campbell (1L), Lilly Gates (2L), Brian Huang (2L), Ainslie Pierrynowski (1L), and Maddy Stewart (2L), in collaboration with the Indigenous Initiatives Office.
All of the promises were donated by students and faculty members, revealing the secret talents and hidden interests of our law school community. These included woodworking, fiction writing, and graphic illustrations.
Maggie Wente, a partner at Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP and a member of Serpent River First Nation, was the host of the lunchtime live auction. She performed the role of the auctioneer with gusto, inspiring the crowd to bid with enthusiasm and vigour.
The event kicked off with a wild bidding war for a city-wide pizza crawl with Professor Christopher Essert, whose expertise in the Italian staple is well established.* The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sample different types of pizza in Toronto was ultimately won by Emma Brown (2L) for a whopping $155.
Lunch with Professors Anthony Nibblet and Arnold Weinrib was another hot ticket item, with students yelling over each other to win the chance to dine with the two professors.
Students also fought over the chance to enjoy a Korean barbeque lunch with Professor Ben Alarie, which promised three simultaneous activities: enlightening conversation, meat grilling, and meat eating.
Throughout the day, a silent auction was also hosted in the Rowell Room, which offered promises like a one-on-one cover letter and resume workshop with a Bay Street recruiter, cuddles with Stella the adorable Pomeranian-pug mix, and a bike tour with Professor Jim Phillips.
*See the feature “I have a lot of views about pizza,” in the October 2018 edition of Ultra Vires.
