Richard Leakey speaks at the event in Vancouver. The evening raised a total of 1.2 million Canadian dollars and this was generously matched dollar for dollar by Jim Simons' challenge grant.
On 19th September 2009 through the generosity of four extraordinary friends of TBI, Ian Telfer, Nancy Burke, and Jussi and Sally Westergren, a successful event was held to raise funds for the infrastructural development at Turkana.
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On 19th September 2009 through the generosity of four extraordinary friends of TBI, Ian Telfer, Nancy Burke, and Jussi and Sally Westergren, a successful event was held to raise funds for the infrastructural development at Turkana.

Richard Leakey speaks at the event in Vancouver. The evening raised a total of 1.2 million Canadian dollars and this was generously matched dollar for dollar by Jim Simons' challenge grant.

Richard Leakey speaks at the event in Vancouver. The evening raised a total of 1.2 million Canadian dollars and this was generously matched dollar for dollar by Jim Simons’ challenge grant.

Held at the Fairmont Hotel in West Vancouver, with Meave, Richard and Louise Leakey in attendance, three hundred people turned up for a most spectacular and exciting evening. A few light-hearted comments from Ian, Jussi and Richard introduced the evening, followed by dinner and an auction.

Singer Paul Simon performs at the Vancouver event.

Singer Paul Simon performs at the Vancouver event. Photo credit: Kim Stallknect.

The famous Canadian singer and guitarist Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo, began the evening entertainment, followed by six songs sung by the legendary Paul Simon, a friend and supporter of TBI. Paul visited both TBI facilities at Turkana on his visit to Kenya in 2008. The evening raised a total of 1.2 million Canadian dollars and this was generously matched dollar for dollar by Jim Simons’ challenge grant.

A special thanks to the organizers who made this event such a success and to all those who were there that evening and who generously helped to raise these dollars.