Monday, December 5 (Day 104, Guelph) – Sunday, December 11 (Day 110, Parry Sound)
Monday was a unique Relay day as we had our Guelph Relay Day entirely within the confines of the University. We had 12 Medal Bearers bravely face the cool, rainy conditions for the entire 2km Relay stretch of campus streets and pathways. The University was very welcoming and we had some incredibly enthusiastic Medal-Bearers who danced their way around campus in a cool drizzle. There was a very appropriate tie in with this event. Since May I have been in contact with a group of students who has been down to Peru on a volunteer mission. On the last day of their trip, a member of their group was playing in the surf when a wave hit him and knocked him down. Something this innocent has happened to most of us at one point or another, but for Dale, he landed awkwardly and suffered a severe spinal cord injury. He broke his neck and still remains in hospital, only recently being able to talk again. He has an incredible support group around him and several of the students were in attendance sporting t-shirts that they made in Drew’s honour that read “Eat. Sleep. Travel.”, a motto Drew lives by.
It seems there’s always some sort of excitement keeping us jumping on this Relay. Tuesday morning started with some excitement at the breakfast buffet. One of the heaters under the bacon tray got bumped and the table cloth caught on fire. Flames were starting to spread and lap up against the tray. A couple of the waitresses started to panic a little and look for a way to put it out before it got too big, but their attempts to wave at it with their rags were ineffective. Thankfully our Relay staff is full of quick thinking and quicker acting folks. Billy Pilon took a quick survey of the area and swiftly bounded to the next table to retrieve a pitcher of water. He deftly blanketed the blaze with what normally would be called “life giving water”, but in this case, it was used to kill the life in the fire. Flames extinguished, disaster averted, we carried on with our breakfast singing the praises of our hero Billy Pilon. Yes, it really is true that some accomplish more before breakfast than others do all day.
Another thing we’ve found along the way is that each End of Day celebration is only as good as the commitment and determination of the community planning team, and the community itself. We’ve been very fortunate to have found some quality people in our End of Day communities to champion the cause and work hard to create a fabulous event for our Relay and the members of their community. Orangeville is one of those communities. By 2:30pm, they had entirely closed down a section of the main street and had set up a huge covered stage as individual vendors has begun to set up their booths. The wafts of homemade chili, popcorn, and various international treats were enough to make anyone succumb to having 2 lunches....and some of us did. Performances by the Theatre Orangeville Youth Singers, Chanda's School of Dance, and the Orangeville Chorus of Sweet Adelines International preceded the arrival of Community Medal Bearer Brian Donato. To mark the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay in Orangeville, the Town has funded and installed the "Hansen Lift" - a wheelchair lift that makes the Opera House stage far more accessible to everyone.
Another great stop we had was Sunday in Waubaushene where we visited The Benny Club. The Benny Club was started by Medal-Bearer Cindy Pearson as a tribute to her late son Benjamin. Benjamin was a thoughtful, friendly, good hearted kid who was always on the lookout for others. Several times he had mentioned to his mom that he wanted to open up a place where kids could gather to stay out of trouble and have fun. He had dreams of a youth centre in their small community that would serve kids of all ages and provide a safe haven for them to hang out and grow and be provided with activities. When Benny was 14 he was hit by a car while riding his bike. He was killed instantly. When his mom recovered his backpack from the police, he had the Real Estate section in it with a location circled for his Youth Centre. Unfortunately, Benny’s dreams were as lofty as the price tag of that property so his mom selected an alternative location and The Benny Club was born this past March. Over 30 kids showed up on the first night and they continue to meet on Tuesdays and Fridays in a caring, healthy environment that is inclusive for all.
Featured Medal-Bearers
Kevin and Heather Mills (from Newmarket, ran in Barrie).
Their story is among one of the many that starts as a fun filled day and ends in tragedy. While celebrating a family wedding on the beach in Cuba, Kevin Mills, age 28 at the time, was driven head first into the sand by a wave. Luckily, his new brother-in-law was able to pull him out of the water and to safety. Kevin broke his neck, sustaining an SCI, was diagnosed a quadriplegic and had no feeling or movement below the shoulders. Kevin and Heather are both Advanced Care Paramedics in Toronto and now have experienced the medical system as both providers and patients. They have learned through their experiences that you must seek out and strive to provide the best care possible for your loved ones. They found that care at an SCI Recovery Centre in California, called Project Walk. We would like to offer this specialized program to our community by starting a unique not-for-profit SCI recovery centre serving all of Ontario and beyond. They are in the grass roots stages of creating Walk it Off Spinal Cord Wellness Centre Inc. (WALK IT OFF), a not-for-profit organization, that will be located in York Region. Our centre will provide exercise-based recovery, education and support to those living with a SCI. Our aim is to improve quality of life and increase independence by maximizing recovery for clients who have sustained a SCI.
Heather and Kevin are currently involved in an Aviva Community Fund online Grant competition for funding. They would love your support. Please visit their website http://www.walkitoffrecovery.org/ and see how you can help by voting.
Gail Garland - Orillia
Gail wheeled into the first meeting point in Orillia with her family/fan club trailing her, and by the end of the meeting I was happy to be apart of her fan club too. Gail was in a baseball accident that put her in a wheelchair in 1991, she is currently 68 years old and is still very active in sports. After her injury she tried wheelchair basketball but it wasn’t until trying sledge hockey that Gail found her fit.
She played for the local team, until she was poached by another team in a higher division. She has played with many of the men on the national men’s Canadian sledge hockey team, stating she could have easily stayed playing with them, but they found her skill too intimidating. The best part is that she is a goalie and is known around the sledge hockey community as ‘Granny 007’ (one of the other medal bearers at the meeting recognized this name and couldn’t believe she was with us). Granny 007 kept us all entertained with her stories and photos, and encouraged everyone to get out and try a new sport.
What Has Been Learned This Week?
Our EOD on Sunday was in Parry Sound at the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame. It was one of the more fun locations for the staff to visit because there were lots of interactive exhibits to play with and we need lots of stimulation or our minds wander sometimes. So we learned that the great Number 4 Bobby Orr, arguably the best defenceman to play the game of hockey is from Parry Sound, ON....AND he has his OWN Hall of Fame!
Photos of the Week
#4 Bobby Orr – One of the most famous goals scored in NHL history
Bubble Hockey – Nish vs Lingley
Men of the Deeps – Rick gave us all a hat from the Original Tour before we left. Mine said “Men of the Deeps” on it. No one knew what it meant.....until now! They are a Coal Miner’s Choir and they are playing in Parry Sound on March 23rd, 2012.
Orangeville Honda Cake – An employee of Orangeville Honda (a very active community sponsor) made this cake!
