A London man with decades of volunteer experience is hoping to move forward in an international fashion fundraiser.
Sixty-eight-year-old Steve Salmenci is competing in the Style Icon contest, a global competition that raises money for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. He says he first discovered the contest while scrolling through Facebook.
“I stumbled across this contest called Style Icon,” he said. “It’s a fundraiser for the Elton John AIDS Foundation.”
Salmenci is a double Fanshawe graduate with certificates in office administration and fundraising. He describes himself as the son of two Royal Canadian Air Force veterans and says his commitment to giving back started early in life.
“I’m a humble son of two Royal Canadian Air Force veterans,” he said. “Fundraising is a philanthropic attitude that I learned from my parents.”
His first volunteer experience was in Toronto during World AIDS Day, standing on a cold street corner collecting small donations for an AIDS charity. Salmenci said he filled the donation can within an hour, which sparked his passion for fundraising that has now lasted more than forty years.
Since then, he has supported a range of organizations, including the Canadian Paraplegic Association and Community Living London. He also spent years working as a DJ in Toronto, performing at large charity dances that raised money for AIDS-related groups.
Although the Style Icon contest highlights fashion, Salmenci says his motivation is tied to supporting charity and honouring a cause he cares deeply about.
“I’m financially comfortable,” he said. “I don’t need the money. My desire is to donate the $20,000 to local charities.”
He has already selected Meals on Wheels and a London women’s shelter as recipients if he wins the contest’s cash prize. He says the remaining amount would go to other local organizations, and he may donate a portion to Fanshawe College’s media arts program.
The contest is currently in the quarter-final stage. After spending several weeks in first place in his group, Salmenci has dropped to sixth. He says support from Londoners and especially Fanshawe students could make a difference.
“You can cast a free vote every single day,” he said. “You can all be part of something wonderful and help me raise the money for local charities.”
Voting continues for eight more days. Salmenci says he hopes to bring the prize money home to London and continue the volunteer work that has shaped his life.
If you would like to support Steve, you can vote here at this link: https://styleicon.org/2025/steve-selmenci
