PAL Vancouver's Heartwarming and Underrated Donation Tier: Chair-Naming at PAL Theatre

How it all began...

Tory Ross and Keith Martin Gordey have a long association with, and a strong affinity for, PAL Vancouver. They met when Tory was the PAL staff person and Keith was on the Board representing the Union of BC Performers (UBCP). As the first couple to be married in the PAL Studio Theatre, they asked for donations to PAL in lieu of wedding gifts.

For the past eight years, Tory and Keith have made an annual donation to name a seat in the theatre for people who have contributed to PAL’s success, and who often “fly under the radar.” Honourees include Terence Kelly, William Samples, Mike Klassen, Ellie O’Day, Chris Tyrell Loranger, Judy Walchuk, Donna Wong-Juliani & John Juliani, and Frank & Moira Talbot.

In addition to the name on the theatre seat, honourees are presented with a take-home plaque. Tory and Keith have made their own tradition out of this by presenting the plaque to the recipient(s) and sharing a meal together at a restaurant.

This year's honourees are Ken and Leah Levitt, who have been donating to PAL for 19 years, and are an integral part of our PAL community. PAL Vancouver was happy to provide space in our 8th-floor garden for Tory and Keith to host a private luncheon for them. Ken and Leah were thrilled – “We had a wonderful visit and very much appreciate the honour bestowed on us. It was over the moon and back!”

What is PAL's Chair-Naming Sponsorship Tier?

• Donation Amount: $1,500+

• Theatre Seat Naming: A plaque on one of PAL Theatre's Chairs with a dedication of your choosing.

• A framed take-home plaque (a duplicate of the one on the Theatre Chair) to present to the honouree. The frame can be customized at the donor's expense.

2022 Fundraising

With the holidays coming up, PAL's Chair-Naming would be a wonderful present for a family or friend whose name would be part of our lasting legacy. Our goal is to have 5 more chairs dedicated before the end of the year to help us raise $5,000 to recover the lost Theatre revenue during the 2020 & 2021 seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For further information on PAL’s Chair-Naming Sponsorship Tier and other donation opportunities please contact Marina, Development & Communications Manager at marina@palvancouver.org or by phone at 604-620-4315.