Social Scene | Community Builders: Best of 2024

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From heartfelt moments and endless smiles to the remarkable amounts of money raised for many important causes, photographer Ashley Fraser shares her standout Social Scene memories from 2024.?

I’ll begin with the most challenging moment of my career: the moments before submitting a story I had written about the CN Cycle for CHEO. The piece highlighted Griffin Bell and his family, who were raising record-breaking amounts of money for a cause that touches?so many. Just days earlier, I had photographed Griffin and his family as they navigated his fierce battle against cancer, a moment that felt deeply personal to me. In the minutes before submitting my story, Griffin’s mother, Tamy Bell, texted me with a heartbreaking request to change her quotes. She wrote, “This little hero is now fighting in the sky.” Despite their unimaginable grief, the Bell family, along with a team of supporters, honoured Griffin’s memory by raising $325,000 at the event and continued their efforts to raise awareness and funds in the months that followed.

While some moments bring deep sorrow, others remind us of the strength of community and the power of celebration. One such evening was the Royal Canadian Air Force Ball, which took place at the Infinity Convention Centre on June 1 to celebrate 100 years of the organization’s service. One-hundred-year-old Richard Rohmer, a retired major-general and Honorary Lt.-Gen. of the Canadian Armed Forces, was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal from Gov. Gen. Mary Simon during the special celebration.

Six-year-old Jordan Ahee, who dreams of one day being the boss of something, had a blast on the purple carpet with fellow movie stars at the launch of the CHEO Foundation’s largest-ever fundraising campaign, Kids These Days.

Staying with raising funds for kids, Cynthia Little, campaign director at Ronald McDonald House Ottawa, was selling balloons to raise money at the house’s annual Skifest event held at Mont Ste. Marie in March.

Trinity Lowthian showed that determination can overcome the greatest of odds as she made her way from spending months in hospital beds to competing at the Paralympic Games, representing Canada in wheelchair fencing.

Michael Williams, a firefighter with the Ottawa Fire Services and winner of the title match at Fight for the Cure, gave close family friend Chris Troughton a big hug after leaving the ring.

On the topic of hugs, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe received a great big squeeze from two athletes, 18-year-old Michael Meehan and 16-year-old Marc Racz, at the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Ontario. The run raises funds and awareness for athletes who benefit from Special Olympics programs.

The annual U.S. Independence Day celebration on the grounds of the U.S. embassy in Rockcliffe Park is always a highly anticipated event, especially during the scorching heat of July.

Kyle and Rachel Braatz transformed their backyard into a beautiful setting for Stars by the Shore, an event celebrating Kyle’s 40th birthday while raising funds to support CHEO and The Ottawa Hospital in memory of two close friends who lost their battle with cancer. A deeply moving moment came when guests shared a toast to honour those they had lost.

As the sun set over Ottawa’s downtown, the promise of significant changes in the addiction and mental health sectors emerged at the launch of the Matthew Perry Foundation of Canada at The Westin.

For Aviyah Simpson and her mother Natasha, CHEO isn’t just a hospital — it’s a sanctuary, a place where compassion and care converge to offer a glimmer of hope in the darkest of times. Simpson worked with the CHEO Foundation to help promote a 50/50 lottery.

Julie Hindle-Jolicoeur with Isaac, her therapy dog who has visited Ronald McDonald House Charities Ottawa weekly for the last seven years. The pair was at the 40th birthday party for the house in June.

Measha Brueggergosman-Lee, the 2024 GGPAA Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award recipient for classical music, was given a warm welcome as she walked the red carpet.??

Four-year-old Mary Alice Carl, visiting from North Carolina, was captivated by the new book, Stewart: King of the Castle and a stuffie of Stewart.

On a cool yet picturesque evening at Wesley Clover Parks, guests experienced a glimpse of the equestrian world while raising funds for the Queensway Carleton Hospital at the Spurs & Sparkles event.

Robert Berthiaume, who hasn’t let cystic fibrosis slow him down, leaped into the arms of Phil Jones, president and co-founder of 100 Holes of Hope, sharing a moment of laughter.

Rebecca Noelle and the Rebels electrified the crowd at Brookstreet’s 21st annual Lumière Gala in September, which raised $124,435 for the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation.

Over 700 people came together at the Infinity Convention Centre in January to share a laugh and raise money and awareness for the Dave Smith Youth Treatment Centre. With the help of Lawrence Greenspon, a criminal defence lawyer, funds were raised to help cover the cost of the organization’s new building in Ottawa’s west end.

Tammy Laverty Hall beamed with delight as she snapped a selfie before taking her seat at Partage Beechwood, the sixth annual event held at Beechwood Cemetery to raise funds for Partage Vanier, the food bank supporting the Vanier Community Services Centre.

If you know of someone doing something exceptional to help, we would love to share their story. Please send details to socialscene@postmedia.com and we will be in touch.

To see more photos of Social Scene events, visit ottawacitizen.com/category/sponsored/social-scene.