A generous gathering
On Wednesday, November 12, we were proud to gather with over 150 members of our community for our annual Cercle des Philanthropes reception.
It was an honour to recognize the generosity and lasting impact our community continues to have at TFS and in the lives of our students. The energy in the room was truly inspiring as we heard from Head of School Norman Gaudet, Chair of the TFS Foundation Board Sunny Lowe, departing TFS Foundation President Cathy Yanosik, and our incoming TFS Foundation President, MaryClaire Brooks.
Attendees learned about all the generous families who have their names inscribed on the Wall of Distinction. The wall recognizes Le cercle des grands mécènes — in English, our “great patrons” — those who have attained milestones in their cumulative lifetime giving, starting at $25,000. It is testament to all the families who have given to build the school and create a world-class learning experience throughout the history of TFS. Over time, through their continued support, members reach new levels and move from Fondateurs, to Bâtisseurs, Sculpteurs and, up until this year, the highest level on the wall was Créateurs. This year we introduced two new circles. The first was Les Grands Créateurs for families who have reached $500,000 to $999,999 in their giving. And next we introduced Le Cercle Giles, a new circle and society to recognize families who have made a commitment of $1 million or more.
“Today, we are dreaming bigger than we ever have before and experiencing a level of generosity that we never have before, including not one, but multiple families supporting at the $1 million level and above. We agreed that at the highest level of Le cercle des grands mécènes, there should be a name that exemplifies that commitment to dreaming big — a name that has long stood for selfless service, visionary leadership, and a deep belief in the transformative power of education,” said Norman Gaudet, Head of School. “Le Cercle Giles is both a tribute and an inspiration — permanently honouring our founders Harry and Anna Giles and their founding contributions while also recognizing the school’s most transformative benefactors.”
In the coming weeks we will share more about the families who have joined this new giving circle through their transformative support. In the meantime, we invite you to relive the highlights of this joyful evening by viewing our photo album.
