Background

The Belle Ball is the signature fundraising event of the year for The Jocelyn Foundation. The Jocelyn Foundation was created in memory of Jocelyn Juriansz—a young, bright Canadian woman with abundant passion for life—murdered by her boyfriend in September 2005.

With the goal of creating positive change from the tragic loss of his daughter, Garth Juriansz started The Jocelyn Foundation in late 2005. The foundation is focused on raising awareness and promoting constructive and open dialogue concerning violence against women through education, support and fundraising initiatives.

The Jocelyn Foundation works along with other organizations with a similar mission, including the Canadian Women's Foundation and The White Ribbon Campaign. Funds raised at events such as the BELLE BALL put us one step closer to a future where violence against women no longer exists.

The most recent fundraising and awareness program for The Jocelyn Foundation was a Fall 2007 t-shirt campaign by women's fashion retailer Mendocino, along with celebrity photographer Dustin Rabin. The t-shirts featured well-known female personalities who support the cause, including: Degrassi: The Next Generation's Lauren Collins; CBC's Little Mosque on the Prairie's Sitara Hewitt; CTV etalk Co-host Tanya Kim; CTV etalk corresponsdent and laineygossip.com's Lainey Lui; Co-Host, BT-BreakfastTelevision, Dina Pugliese, CityTV's Tonya Rouse, TV host and model Monika Schnarre, Singer Sarah Slean, Flare editor Lisa Tant, and CityTV's Liz West.

For more information about the foundation, visit www.thejocelynfoundation.com.