The Heroes Gala

Celebrating Impact

The Heroes Gala is Right To Play’s annual must-attend signature fundraising event, celebrating the global work of the organization to help children and youth rise above adversity. Headquartered in Toronto, Right To Play operates in 14 countries reaching over 5.6 million children and youth through play-based learning programs.

The Heroes Gala is an impactful evening of inspiration and hope, where we bring together Heroes of our movement to celebrate, engage and raise over $2M in critical funds for the children and youth we support. The event has been awarded numerous awards over the years. Most recently, the Heroes Gala was recognized in 2022 as one of the top 10 benefit events in the U.S. and Canada by BizBash Magazine.

Join us, be inspired and leaving feeling like a hero yourself!

Click the link below to purchase a table or ticket to the 2024 Heroes Gala!

Purchase tickets to the 2024 Heroes Gala

Interested in learning more about sponsorship opportunities for the 2024 Heroes Gala? Contact Lara Fellman, Senior Manager, Strategic Partnerships and Engagement at lfellman@righttoplay.com

Meet the 2024 Honourees

Ambassador Hero Award: Erica Wiebe

Erica Wiebe is one of Canada’s most decorated wrestlers. She is a two-time Olympian who won gold in the women’s freestyle 75kg event at the Rio 2016 Olympics, as well as a two-time Commonwealth Games champion. Erica has been a Right To Play Ambassador for over 10 years and has been a passionate advocate for the organization, including a 2018 trip to a Right To Play program in Rwanda to witness our impact firsthand, as well as supporting The Heroes Gala and Gran Fondo. Since retiring from wrestling, she now works as Manager of Athlete Relations, Safe Sport, and DEI on the Canadian Olympic Committee. We are thrilled to honour Erica as the Ambassador Hero at the 2024 Heroes Gala.

Youth Hero Award: White Buffalo Youth Lodge

Right To Play is excited to honour the White Buffalo Youth Council with the 2024 Youth Hero Award. Comprised of 13 Indigenous youth, the Council aims to support youth by intentionally creating opportunities to connect with their community and develop their leadership and entrepreneurial skills. Since 2021, the Youth Council has organized a number of events in their community, including a Halloween haunted house, a Pride Parade, and a backpack carnival to distribute school supplies to youth and families in Saskatoon. These youth are making an incredible difference in their community and we’re honoured to celebrate their achievements at the 2024 Heroes Gala.

Community Hero: The Mike Starko Challenge

Mike Starko was a passionate athlete, sports fan, and supporter of Right To Play, competing in everything from Triathlon’s to IRONMAN’s. Tragically, Mike was killed in a cycling accident in 2022. Since then, Mike Starko’s legacy has lived on through the Mike Starko Challenge, an annual month-long commitment to getting active, while raising funds for Right To Play Canada. Mike Starko’s legacy lives on through his family and dedication to providing play and sport for children all over the world.

Partner Hero: Mark Fraser

Following his 14-year professional hockey career, Fraser was hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs to create an Equity, Diversity & Inclusion department for the historic franchise. His role as Director of Culture & Inclusion is the first amongst NHL clubs. Mark harnesses his personal experiences and skills to work directly with players, staff and the different Maple Leafs business units, to lead efforts to educate and grow hockey’s culture to become more inclusive and diversify the Maple Leafs brand. He also serves as a member of the NHL’s Player Inclusion Coalition.

Mark leverages his passions for sport, fashion, and film to create transformative moments that drive social impact. Through storytelling and philanthropy, he aims to empower and opens doors for the next generation of diverse young talent.

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Volunteer Hero: Sean St. John

Sean has been with National Bank Financial for the last 25 years, and since 2012, has been a member of the executive management committee which oversees the direction and growth of the capital markets business. He is on the board of the Children’s Aid Foundation and is also the Chairman of the Equity & Inclusion Council, as well as a Member of the Investment Fund Committee. Additionally, he has been on the Board of Governors for Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer since 2015, and which he has actively supported since its inception in 2011. Sean has likewise been a Community Champion for Connected North for the last 3 years. His most recent involvement is with Social Impact Film & Festival Awards, which he has co-founded in August 2020. Sean was recruited to RTP's Canadian Advisory Board in 2016 and has since then been a huge champion of Right to Play’s indigenous programs at National Bank.