Today We’re Celebrating Anchor Niagara!
More and more we’ve learned that doing the right thing often means doing whatever you can to help make the world a better place than when you found it. It’s so easy to just sit and do nothing and look out for yourself, but to be a source of change and a driving force of good in the community is something that benefits everyone and makes the local scene grow and shine that much brighter. In order to grow, every community needs an anchor to celebrate its members, create smiles, and give back to the community that has helped them through both the good times and the bad.
And it is that philosophy that led Maria Mavridis to found Anchor Niagara, a local events company devoted to giving back by putting on signature events that partner charities, foundations, and non-profit organizations in the Niagara Region.
Also known as the operator of Corks Wine Bar & Eatery as well as Firehall Flame, Mavridis was inspired to start Anchor Niagara from her mother, Vera, who had been living with a cancer diagnosis and its progression and had spent much of her time regularly putting together events and volunteering her time to help spread awareness and raise funds for the community. Prior to her passing, Mavridis made a promise to her mother to continue working to help the community in her memory.
So with over 5,000 volunteer hours and more than $175,000 raised through her events, it’s safe to say that she’s made good on that promise and the Niagara Region is all the better for it. Her work in pairing local businesses with charities and organizations by putting on some fantastic and successful fundraising events has gone a long way to do some good both in helping those who need it and in promoting the region. Mavridis’ work was even recognized with her receiving the Community Impact Award at the 2021 Women in Business Awards!
In addition to her work with Anchor Niagara and her other businesses, Mavridis is a Mentor on the Niagara-on-the-Lake Lord Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee, which allows her to pass her knowledge in creating successful fundraisers and working for the community on to the youth of today in an effort to plant a seed for a better tomorrow. As she said on her 2021 WIBA win: “Being recognized by the GNCC Women In Niagara Awards, for Community Impact is an honour, and a challenge at the same time. The challenge is now to continue to create an impact in our community for generations to come.”
As for the events themselves, where to start? There are so many amazing ones that to name them all would take all day, but we’re personally a fan of one of her most popular events, Designer Purse Bingo. Put on twice a year, it’s an event that pairs the classic game of Bingo with high-end fashion. In a night that includes fun door prizes, wonderful snacks, and other fun programming, guests play six rounds with each winner taking home a Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Burberry, Stuart Weitzman, and Louis Vuitton designer handbag.
Not Your Child Co. recently had the awesome opportunity to be a vendor and a part of the safety programming during the Cat & Nat Reunion Tour show hosted by Anchor Niagara and Style Canada. It was an amazing night of fun and fundraising and we were thrilled to be there giving free breath tests, educating on how to stay safe, selling single-use breathalyzers, and laughing at the hilarious Cat & Nat giving their #MOMTRUTHS and bringing together the community of moms and women.
To learn more about Anchor Niagara visit
Website: www.anchorniagara.com
Facebook: facebook.com/anchorniagara
Instagram: @anchorniagara
Robin LeBlanc is an award-winning writer, columnist, and author with more than a decade of experience in telling stories. She has worked with artists, organizations, small businesses, and internet personalities to help inform, promote, and lift up. She lives in Toronto.
