Thank You for Attending our
Cena in Famiglia Event
We would like to thank everyone who attended our inaugural Villa Charities Foundation charitable event Cena in Famiglia on Sunday, August 25. Guests enjoyed a cocktail reception, a delicious three-course meal and Italian music in our beautiful outdoor setting at Sala Caboto Gardens. On behalf of Villa Charities Foundation, thank you to our guests, valued sponsors and donors, volunteers and in-kind partners who contributed to the success of  Cena in Famiglia ! Thanks to your support, Villa Charities can continue to promote Italian culture, provide culturally sensitive senior care and deliver high-quality community programs and services. We hope to see you again next year!

Our Fall & Winter 2019/2020 Program Guide is Here!
Explore everything we have to offer at the Columbus Centre and Villa Charities in our new Program Guide, including cultural events, health and fitness, art programs, child care, culinary workshops and more! Click on the link below to download your digital copy now or pick one up at the Columbus Centre.

Enjoy an Evening of Classical Music at the Columbus Centre
Presented in partnership with Istituto Italiano di Cultura, we invite you to attend a free concert by pianist Alessandro Vena on Tuesday, September 3 at 7pm in the Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery. Journey through “The Complete Nocturnes” by Frédéric Chopin, considered to be among the most important pieces in contemporary concert repertoire. 

Get Your Tickets Now for “Serata d’Opera e di Canzoni” Concert
Presented by Villa Charities, join us on Sunday, September 29 at 6pm in the Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery for an evening of Italian opera favourites including selections by Verdi, Puccini, Tosti and more, featuring Tenor, Enrique Pina, Soprano, Stephanie DeCiantis and Pianist, Adolfo de Santis.

Don’t Miss the Debut Performance of the Gaudeamus Ensemble
Different musical worlds come together in one breathtaking concert! For their debut professional performance, Gaudeamus Ensemble is thrilled to bring their unique brand of entertainment to the Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery. On Thursday, September 19 at 7pm, vocalists Angelina Gulla, Danielle MacMillan and Jessica Scarlato will perform an exciting musical concert that you won’t want to miss.

New Exhibition by Armando Rotoletti Coming to the Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery
We are pleased to announce that Armando Rotoletti will be showcasing his photographic exhibition “Sicilia in Piazza” in the Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery at the Columbus Centre this fall. Visit this striking exhibition of 100 Sicilian squares of cities and towns in the Lower Gallery from September 13 – November 4. Co-presented with Istituto Italiano di Cultura.

Reserve Your Table for Lazio e Roma Theme Night at Ristorante Boccaccio
Book your table now for our Lazio e Roma Theme Night Dinner on Friday, September 27 at 7pm at Ristorante Boccaccio. Rome and Lazio form a large region whose cuisine draws from popular and peasant tradition with Mediterranean, Jewish and Tuscan influences. Specialties include fried artichokes, pizza Ebraica d’erbe, spaghetti all’Amatriciana and puttanesca, cacio e pepe, supplì, spicy salami and seafood. Tickets are $85.00 inclusive of tax and gratuity. Save your appetite for this metropolitan feast!

Cultural Tuesdays Returns to the Columbus Centre
Our popular Cultural Tuesdays series is back at the Columbus Centre this fall, beginning with presentations on “Divas and Divos” of Italian cinema by Dr. Franco Gallippi. The first lecture will be held on Tuesday, September 10 at 7pm where we will explore “Sophia Loren: The Italian Marilyn Monroe.” Visit Ristorante Boccaccio before or after the presentation to enjoy a prix fixe dinner with your choice of wine or Prosecco.

Join Us for an Exciting Book Launch Event This Fall
We cordially invite you to attend the launch event for two acclaimed storytellers. Join us on Sunday, September 8 at 3pm in the Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery for a conversation with Frank Spezzano, author of “Paulus: A Historical Drama in Three Acts” and Angelo Zuccaro, author of “Beyond Human Existence”. Co-presented with Istituto Italiano di Cultura.

Pizza Nel Parco Continues at Caffè Cinquecento
Reserve your order now for our next “Pizza in the Park” lunch or dinner on Friday, September 13 at 12pm - 2:30pm and 3:30pm - 7pm at Caffè Cinquecento for individual, made-to-order pizzas baked in an authentic, wood-burning oven. Choose from a Margherita, Vegetarian or Sopressata/Pepperoni pizza.

Tickets are Now on Sale for "The Stranger 2.0: Above & Below"
Villa Charities is the proud Community Sponsor of the critically acclaimed walkabout performance, "The Stranger 2.0", presented by our Artists in Residence DopoLavoro Teatrale (DLT). Designed for the first time to include two audience members at a time and featuring an exciting new virtual reality component, "The Stranger 2.0" will unfold on the streets of Toronto from September 18 – 29, 2019 with a new cast, new scenes, new locations, and a choice between two independent journeys: above & below.

Book Your Appointment for Friday Chats with Anthony DiCaita
Come and meet with Anthony DiCaita, President and CEO of Villa Charities Inc., for a one-on-one conversation, and share your thoughts on our programs and services. These informal chats with Anthony will be held on the second Friday of every month, from 10am – 3pm. Appointments are 20 minutes each and must be scheduled in advance. Upcoming dates for these chats are Friday, September 13 and Friday, October 11. Contact us today to schedule your appointment – call 416-789-7011 ext. 240 or email   csimpson@villacharities.com .

Registration for Fall Athletics & Aquatics Begins September 3
Sign up for the Athletic Club's fall athletics and aquatics programs! Member Registration begins for athletics programs on September 3 and aquatics programs on September 10. Non-Member Registration begins for athletics programs on September 5 and aquatics programs on September 12. We offer a variety of classes for a range of ages, abilities and interests!

Recreational Dance Classes with DanzArts Toronto
Registration is now open for recreational dance programs beginning this fall at DanzArts Toronto. Classes are available for a variety of dance styles, such as kinderdance, tap, ballet, jazz, musical theatre, hip-hop and more. Register today for classes beginning September 9.

Registration for Music Programs is Open
Registration for the Columbus Centre School of Music’s 2019/2020 season is now open. Register for the fall term today and discover your musical passion. Learn a new instrument or hone your skills in vocal, piano, drums, guitar, violin and more! Classes begin September 9.

Try Your Hand at Impressionist Painting in Fall Term Workshops
Join us for our first impressionist painting workshop of the fall term on Thursday, September 12 at 6:30pm in the new Villa Colombo Art Studio, where we will be crafting our own interpretations of “Impressionist Venice”. Classes are available for $40 + HST per person. All materials including paint and a canvas will be provided.

Express Your Creativity in our Fall Art Programs
Register today for our fall art classes for children and adults, including Children’s Painting and Drawing and Adult Landscape Painting classes. The children’s class focuses on fostering creative confidence and explores a variety of mediums while the adult class focuses on landscape studies in an intimate group setting, which provides for one-on-one instruction.

NEW! Nutritional Seminars at the Columbus Centre Athletic Club
New this fall, we are excited to offer free, engaging and interactive nutrition seminars for small groups that address a variety of nutrition topics. Learn tips and tricks on what foods to include in your diet and how to decode nutrition labels. Join us on Tuesday, September 17 and Thursday, September 19 for the first seminar, “Carbohydrates: The Good, The Bad, And The Not So Evil”, and learn how carbohydrates can fit into part of your healthy, balanced lifestyle. 

Residents Celebrate the Feast of Ferragosto at Casa Del Zotto
On Thursday, August 15, our Independent Seniors’ Apartments hosted a special lunch for the residents to celebrate the feast of Ferragosto. Organized by Centro Anziani, residents at Casa Del Zotto were treated to a delicious meal and enjoyed listening to Italian-themed music.

Villa Colombo Toronto Approved for Ontario Health Team (OHT)
Villa Colombo Toronto, along with 13 partner organizations including Humber River Hospital, was one of the 31 teams who recently received approval from the Ministry of Health to move forward with the development of an Ontario Health Team (OHT).

Art Studio Opening at Villa Colombo Toronto
The Villa Colombo Art Studio will be opening this fall at Villa Colombo Toronto for residents to enjoy art classes and a variety of other craft programs. The funds to build this beautiful new studio were made possible through the generosity and hard work of our Villa Colombo Toronto Auxiliary.

Appreciation Event for Summer Students at Villa Colombo Vaughan
On Tuesday, August 13, MP Deb Schulte stopped by Villa Colombo Vaughan to visit the summer students. Villa Colombo Vaughan was grateful for the opportunity to have five students from various high schools and universities help out over the summer months with resident programs. During the event, they discussed their rewarding volunteering experience at Villa Colombo Vaughan.

Villa Charities Inc. | 416-789-7011 | info@villacharities.com | www.villacharities.com