Dining with Shining Divas

by Margo Roston, Around Town

Dressed in a fuchia strapless gown, a fluffy matching jacket, and an overload of rhinestones, Lynsey Bennett had everyone at the Ottawa Congress Centre snapping pictures Saturday night. The recently crowned Miss Canada International, accompanied by her travelling manager Sylvia Stark, her designer Richard Robinson and his wife Louise, showed up at the Compassion in Action Ottawa Gala Ball to help raise funds to support those with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Even her parents, Marnie and George, joined the crowd of shutterbugs to get a glimpse of one of the gowns she'll be wearing at next month's Miss World Pageant in Nigeria. "The other one is a secret," said Ms. Bennett.

About 150 people joined the beauty queen and CJOH's anchor Carol Anne Meahan, the evening's emcee, for roasted duck and caramel flan and the opportunity for a dance lesson from the pros from Arthur Murray Dance Studios. Lawyer and auctioneer Lawrence Greenspon helped gavel down some hot auction items, assisted by Marianne Wilkinson, Kanata's first mayor, who just finished a master's degree and is heading up Compassion in Action.

As printed in the Ottawa Citizen's City section, October 21, 2002