All but one of the works of art were created by kids who attend the public school

By Tristan Carter
My Town Crier

About 200 people packed into the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital on the evening of Oct. 17 to receive a special treatment — the red carpet treatment.

Former NHL stars Tie Domi and Paul Coffey joined the guests at the Able Artists Auction, an event where paintings by 42 children with disabilities from Sunny View Public School were auctioned off to raise money for the school.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled with how this evening has gone,” said Christopher Hopper, chair of the Sunny View Youth Involvement Association. “The generosity of these bidders tonight is staggering.”

A total of $95,500 was raised from the eight pieces sold during the live auction, which was hosted by Canadian Olympic alpine skier Karen Stemmle.

A painting by Charles Pachter, who is most well known for his hockey murals inside College Station, was the only piece in the auction not made by Sunny View students. He donated his painting entitled “Bay Watch 2010” to the auction and it sold for $24,000.

Another 50 paintings sat on tables for guests to bid on during the silent auction as wait staff served hors d’oeuvres.

Organizers were hoping to raise enough money for a new state-of-the-art communications lab at Sunny View, which will be a joint venture between the hospital and the Toronto District School Board.