The Maritime Experience & Audience

JOIN US FOR AN EAST COAST CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

Evening in the Maritimes is known as Ottawa-Gatineau’s East Coast Kitchen Party where guests experience all that Canada’s East Coast has to offer.

The evening starts with a lively cocktail reception featuring a roaming fiddler, displays featuring carefully curated silent auction items up for bid, a selection of mocktails, cocktails, champagne, and other libations, and interactive activities including a SHELL-fie station courtesy of our sponsors.

The fun continues with a bagpiper dining room entrance, a delicious 4-course meal, the popular Sea Creature Sweepstakes, an interview with members of the community who will share their story of how the money raised at EiTM has impacted their lives, and the most anticipated event of the evening – a live auction.

The Maritimes theme is woven throughout the event as guests engage in provincial trivia and choose their preferred seating in the Nova Scotia, PEI or NB Zones.

EiTM25 and EiTM24 Corporate Attendees.

Learn more about the audience.

Our 2025 EiTM Honorary Chair

We are thrilled to announce this year’s Honorary Chair is Michael Lifshitz. Known in Ottawa and across Canada as an advocate for the disability community, a savvy businessman, an insightful motivational speaker and pretty funny when he does his stand-up comedy gigs.

Michael was born with a condition called Multiple Congenital Musculoskeletal Abnormalities. While he wears an artificial leg, aging has resulted in Michael walking minimally with the assistance of a walker or cane and using an electric wheelchair most of the time. Contrary to what many would have believed possible, he became a chartered public accountant and also obtained an MBA from Edinburgh Business School. He has built and sold successful accounting and financial planning practices.

Today, in addition to continuing a successful career in finance and accounting as CFO and co-founder of Breakaway Experiences, a gift experience company, he uses speaking, comedy and writing to not only educate people as to what people with disabilities can do, but to also inspire them to overcome their own challenges and live their life to the fullest of their abilities. Michael has performed comedy throughout Canada, including Iqaluit for the 2022 Canada North Arctic Comedy Festival. He has released his first comedy album, Speech From The Throne – A Look at Living With a Disability in Canada. Check out his website Illumabilities.

Follow Michael on social:

Michael’s Facebook Page – www.facebook.com/IllumAbilities
Michael’s Instagram Feed – www.instagram.com/illumabilities

Our 2025 EiTM Event Chair

We are also delighted to announce that we have a new Event Chair, Danielle Demark. Danielle is an Investment Advisor at RBC Dominion Securities, Ottawa Preston Branch and has been part of the planning of the event for several years. Danielle’s involvement with EiTM started with a desire to support local charities and not-for-profit organizations that do not benefit from national or international attention. “The direct and meaningful impact that the programs at ABLE2 bring, to an often unseen segment of our population, is changing the quality of their lives and I am proud to be part of this team”.

We are thrilled that she has stepped up to lead our Corporate Sales and Sponsorship Team.

Follow Danielle on social:

Danielle’s LinkedIn Page – www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-demark

Our 2025 EiTM Host

We are excited to share the news that Patricia Boal will be hosting this year’s EiTM! Patricia is the anchor of CTV News at Six and hosts the radio show “Ottawa at Work with Patricia Boal” on Newstalk 580 CFRA.

She has a true passion for telling stories and breaking news. Patricia was on the desk for live coverage of the tornadoes that hit the Ottawa area in 2018 and was in the flood zone to share the stories of homeowners under siege in 2017 and 2019.

She counts as career highlights the opportunity to interview some fascinating newsmakers such as Jeopardy host Alex Trebek, Canadian singer Corey Hart and Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson.

She reported from the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, as well as the 2012 London and 2010 Vancouver Olympics. She also covered the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore, all for Olympic News Channel.

Patricia graduated from McGill University, with an Honours BA. She subsequently attended Algonquin College before starting in broadcasting at 580 CFRA.

Highlights there included covering the Canadian peacekeepers in Bosnia in 1999, the federal referendum vote in Montreal in 1995 and the Paul Bernardo murder trial in Toronto that same year. She did sideline reporting for CFRA’s Ottawa Rough Riders broadcasts, and hosted Overtime, a weekly show focusing on the Ottawa Senators on Rogers TV.

Patricia began her TV career as the first Ottawa/Montreal bureau reporter for the Score TV network (formerly Headline Sports), primarily covering the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens. For two seasons Patricia also hosted Sens pay-per-view games as part of the SENSTV crew. Patricia has previously held positions with CTV Ottawa ranging from sports anchor to 11:30 news anchor.

Patricia is active in the community, serving as honourary board member for STRIDE Assistance for the Disabled, and has hosted charitable events for numerous organizations in Ottawa.

Follow Patricia on social: