Heart & Stroke Foundation Ontario: Heart and Soul Award Reception. Hooray @Shananigans5!

Tonight, I am attending “The Heart and Soul Award” which is an award for people and groups who have ‘put their heart and soul’ into volunteering and/or supporting Heart and Stroke Ontario, and have ‘gone that extra mile’. They are specifically celebrating the contributions of their Toronto area event organizers and fund raisers who ‘bring heart to the health of Canadians.’

Before you ask, no I am not the one being honored, I am merely a +1, aka arm candy, of one of the recipients of this award – my friend, Shannon “@Shananigans5” Hunter.

Why is she getting this award? Well, you may recall back in February when I was auctioned off for charity by Shannon, as part of Social Media Week Toronto 2011 (a time when I was so busy with all the awesome I almost didn’t have time to blog).

Shannon "@Shananigans5

Well, it turned out that Shannon and her co-organizer for the #LoveAHeart event raised over $9,000! It also was the largest total amount raised by any Heart & Stroke Foundation event across the Greater Toronto Area!

I am very happy for Shannon so am glad to be joining her tonight and we all should be proud of her and all the work she’s been doing for charity. I already mentioned in my previous post about the auction (linked above) why this cause is so near and dear to my heart in particular and with people like Shannon leading the way (as well as “beefcakes” like me and beauties like the ladies at the event, willing to be auctioned off for charity) we will find ways to beat all these terrible maladies that afflict us as a race.

This, of course, goes to all the award recipients tonight, in years past, and in the future.

I’m Going On The Auction Block For Charity! Tonight @ #LoveAHeart For The Heart & Stroke Foundation

That’s right, you read the title correctly. I am putting myself up for auction tonight in a Bachelor/Bachelorette Auction for Charity as part of Social Media Week Toronto (#SMWTO). The event itself was organized by @Shananigans5 and @AllyLesniak. Ally founded, writes for, and is editor of the popular Toronto blog GirlsOfTO and you can check out GirlsOfTO’s “official” post about the charity auction here.

There is a $5 cover charge for the event all of which goes directly to the Heart & Stroke Foundation – The Hideout is donating the space as well as some live music for the evening. Doors open at 8pm and the first round of bidding begins at 9:30pm (I am the second up on the auction block).

If you would like to follow the hashtag online leading up to, during, and after the event it is #LoveAHeart

As well, most of the event details are up at the Facebook Event Page here: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=184432254921826

The event will be at The Hideout which is at 484 Queen Street West (Toronto) here’s the GoogleMaps place page for it or you can just check out the map and street view below(click to enlarge) for the location as well.

GoogleMaps Map

Google StreetView

Some people have asked me why the heck I am doing this?

• Because it sounds like fun.
• Because it is for a good cause (The Heart & Stroke Foundation).
• Because I’m keeping to my ‘Yes Man’ ideals and it was put forward to me to put myself on auction.
• Because I’m single so I have no girlfriend, wife, or fiancée who may get mildly perturbed by me putting myself up for auction.
• Because you only live once.
• It’ll probably be very amusing (for me and everyone else but probably for different reasons).

For all the ladies who would like to bid on me tonight and need to know more details here they are:

• All bidding starts at $25.
• Cash only & in person only for bidding
• I will be in the 1st round of Bachelors & Bachelorettes beginning at 9:30pm. I am the second person up for auction after the lovely @gujessie (Jessie Gu).
• Highest male & female bidders will each receive a Nella Bella bag (handbag for the ladies and a duffle bag for the gents) as well as a $100 each from Sleeman to spend at The Hideout.
• Highest bid of the night wins a pair of Leafs Tickets.

In the GirlsOfTO Official #LoveAHeart post mentioned above here’s my bio:

Not to be confused with the sexually ambivalent son of Eugene Levy, Dan is a twitter rockstar, a friend to everyone and one of the cutest boys on our list. Bid high and fast.

In his “Love A Heart Auction: Bachelor Buyers Guide“ one of the other bachelors, @ZachBussey, wrote this about me:

“Dan’s a well known guy in Toronto’s Social Media scene. Probably one of the friendliest guys you’ll meet. You’ll catch him at basically every tweetup ever. Sells for $85″

Actually, Zach wrote a couple blog posts about the upcoming auction. One of them was “Love A Heart Auction: Speaketh the Auctionees” posted yesterday and found here. He asked us to answer some questions…I sort of didn’t so I’ll answer them here and I posted them in the comments on Zach’s blog post.

1. How much do you think you’ll go for? I honestly have no idea. In a ‘Buyer’s Guide’ post that Zach Bussey wrote earlier (linked below) he said he thought I’d go for $85 so I will stick with that. It seems like a decent amount and I hope I can live up to that hype.
2. Your best physical quality? My orthodontist will be proud to hear me say, my smile (I used to have a small overbite).
3. Your best skill? Being social: Getting along with people, finding the good in everyone and liking them for it, and maintaining connections with people.
4. Out of the 9 others, who do you deem your biggest competition? I haven’t given it any thought. I don’t think any of us really compete with anyone else because we are all very different people with different styles and personalities.
5. Succinctly, make your pitch for the event why people should bid on you? Because I’m a nice guy; I like to enjoy life; my mom always tells me I’m a great person and her favorite 3rd son; and I love a good, witty conversation.
6. And in one word, describe me (Zach Bussey): Sens-fan (Zach is from Ottawa)

Zach’s two other blog posts were:

• “Love A Heart Auction: Bachelorette Buyers Guide” which you can find here.
• “Love A Heart Auction: Bachelor Buyers Guide” which you can find here (I posted his description of me above and linked to the post there too).

I guess we will see if I live up to the hype.

Wish me luck!!!