You know Christmas is just around the corner when even the grown-ups get to fulfil their childhood dreams. And what Canadian doesn’t grow up wanting to lace up the skates alongside their hockey heroes?
Those dreams came true for 30 Local 793 business reps, organizers and staff on Friday, December 2, as they took part in the Brad May Celebrity Hockey Classic in support of Easter Seals at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex in Oakville.
Local 793 entered two teams in the three-game tournament, with Director of Organizing Kyle Schutte’s Smooth Operators welcoming Toronto Maple Leaf favourite Darcy Tucker to their ranks, and Simcoe Area Coordinator Shawn McLeary’s Goal Diggers being joined by Tampa Bay Lightning’s 1994 Stanley Cup-winning tough guy André Roy.
Local 793 has been a long-time supporter of Easter Seals Ontario, raising more than $200,000 for the charity since first taking part in the tournament in 2014. This year, members of the two teams raised $62,000. With an additional $10,000 from the Union’s sponsorship for the event, Local 793 donated $72,000 to help the tournament fundraise a total of $335,000.
Easter Seals Ontario provides children and youth with physical disabilities the tools they need to reach their full potential and make their own positive impact on the world. It is a cause that sporting heroes such as Roy are happy to support.
“I meet and play with so many different people doing these events and you get to see former teammates and some guys you played against. It is a good time, but at the end of the day it is really for a great cause, too,” Roy said.
Following the event, Easter Seals Ontario Fundraising Specialist Joey Wilson visited Local 793 head office in Oakville to present Business Manager Mike Gallagher with an autographed Toronto Maple Leafs jersey as a thank you for the Union’s support.
