Last Thursday night, Canadian sports heroes took off their uniforms and put on the ritz in support of a good cause. Wendel Clark, Doug Gilmour, Roy Halladay, Marnie McBean, and Donovan Bailey were just a few of the athletes that packed into the Sheraton Centre’s Grand Ballroom last week to help raise money for the Easter Seals Kids foundation.
But the true stars of the evening at this, the 53rd annual Siemens Conn Smythe Sports Celebrities Dinner and Auction in support of Easter Seals Kids, were the young people themselves. The jubilant faces of the child ambassadors of the night dotted the crowd, as heroes old and young filtered into the room. Doug Gilmour acted as the honorary chair for the event, and young Nandan Srikandarajah, 12, and Jamie Reaume, 8, served as honorary Easter Seals ambassadors for the evening.
“She smiles with her eyes,” said Leaf legend Lanny McDonald of Reaume. “It is everyone’s responsibility, whether you are an athlete or a business person, to do something nice for someone.”
Which is precisely what the Easter Seals Society is aiming to do. According to its mission statement, the organization works to help “children, youth and young adults with physical disabilities achieve their full individual potential and future independence.” Last year the dinner and auction raised over $355,000 to help Easter Seals achieve these goals. This year, they were hoping to match or surpass that total.
“It is very important to get involved when you can help kids, meet kids, and when something is about kids,” said Gilmour. “When you see everyone here giving money to support the cause, it’s a beautiful thing. It is very inspirational, very motivational when you hear the kids [Easter Seals children] speak.”
The children themselves were honoured to be involved with such a generous group. “It’s a great organization,” said one boy at the dinner. “I grew up here in Toronto and any time I can give back to the city it’s great.”
The title sponsor for the event, the techonology company Siemens Canada, has headed the evening for three years running. Vice-president Steve Jones commented that being involved with this event is “the best thing that ever happened to Siemens.”
For some celebrity guests, a large part of the decision to be involved with Easter Seals is much more personal than others. “I like to take the opportunity to support a group that hits close to home,” said former Blue Jays closer Tom Henke. “I have a daughter with Down’s Syndrome. Any time you can make life easier for the kids and bring awareness to the cause it is important. Everyone needs to be included in society.”
Each of the renowned guests found it important for all people, university students, and younger, to get involved in community life, whether it be through organizations like Easter Seals or some other charitable outlet.
“We are getting old and are going to pass the torch to young folks, so it is important that people get involved now and see these things are important,” said Henke.
“It is very important for young people to get involved,” said Cito Gaston, who managed the Blue Jays to two World Series titles. “Young people need to pick up the stick and run with it. They have to start somewhere.”
Doug Ault, who hit two home runs in a “mighty cold” Exhibition Stadium in the Blue Jays first game, thought that it is important to educate children as early as possible about people with disabilities. “The younger people understand that the handicapped are people too, with minds and feelings, the better. Grade schoolers should get involved, learn about people with [special needs] and learn that these people should be accepted.”
Lanny McDonald explained that “there is a good chance that you learn way more from something like this [dinner] than you do at school.” His belief is that there is no substitute in any text book for the real experience of working with Easter Seals.
He also pointed out those in attendance on Thursday night were not at the event to be in the spotlight, to be praised, or for any financial gain. They were “volunteering from the heart.”
When he looked over and saw Jamie’s beaming face, he humbly remarked, “that is all the thanks you need.”
