Inaugural bowling event shatters fundraising target, with plans already afoot for 2025
Like all industries and walks of life, there’s barely an individual in Canada’s mortgage sector who hasn’t been impacted in some way by cancer – and this week in Woodbridge, Ontario, mortgage professionals united to raise funds in support of the hundreds of thousands of Canadians affected.
Splitsville Woodbridge was the setting for the “One Industry. One Cause. Striking Out Cancer” event on Tuesday, January 30, with figures from across Canada’s mortgage space lacing up their bowling shoes for a good cause.
The event committee comprised of Susan Thomas (executive vice president, network development, M3 Elite), Dong Lee (chief executive officer, Axiom Innovations), Rachelle Gregory (senior vice president, operations, MERIX Financial), Cristie Smith (director, inside sales, Home Trust), and Don Stoddart (broker at Mortgage Intelligence),
The prominence of top executives from leading companies – and in some cases, competitors – in the mortgage space served as a powerful symbol of the industry’s united front in the fight against cancer, according to Thomas.
She told Canadian Mortgage Professional that the sold-out event had come about as a recognition of the profound impact cancer has had on the lives of scores of mortgage professionals and their families, friends, and colleagues across the country.
“We have lost some amazing industry people to cancer in the last year and a bit,” she said. “This was really the catalyst for our fundraising event but as we progressed, we realized that we needed to broaden our scope: everybody is impacted by cancer.
“It could be a friend, a co-worker, a loved one, or someone who is living with a diagnosis. We wanted to honour our friends, raise some money and have some fun in the process.”
Fundraising surges past target
Funds were raised on the night in support of the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, whose president and chief executive officer Miyo Yamashita attended and bowled the inaugural ball to kick off the event.
Organizers set the “lofty but attainable” goal of raising $50,000 through the event – and while it came about in a matter of mere weeks from idea to execution, the evening shattered that target and raked in over $55,000.
The feel-good factor and spirit of giving on the night was epitomized by Paulo Martins, senior manager of business development with B2B Bank, who won the 50/50 prize draw of well over $2,000 – but decided to give it back and add to the fundraising efforts.
It was a poignant moment and fitting gesture by Martins, whose own father had been treated at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre prior to passing away from the illness.
Committee already targeting national events for 2025
With the event coming together just before the Christmas break, organizers had little runway to prepare and fundraise – but the success of the night shows the future potential for efforts on a national scale, Thomas said.
“This was a test to see if there was interest in the industry. We were not expecting such an overwhelming response,” she said. “The goal is to take this national in scope.”
For 2025, the committee hopes to see fundraising events take place across several Canadian cities on the last Tuesday in January under the “One Industry. One Cause. Broker Bowl Day in Canada” banner.
Lee said that would serve as a potent indicator of the mortgage industry’s ability to come together and land a strike against a disease that claims the life of one out of every four Canadians.
“Imagine the momentum, community, and surge of attention we can draw for a good cause,” he said. “As an industry, we’ve struggled to bring folks together for charity. We would love to change that.
“We’ve already got key, influential folks that are willing to pick up the effort in towns across Canada. It’s amazing what we can accomplish when this industry unites for a cause.”
There’s still time to donate to the cause, and find out more about the event, here.
Pictured top is the event committee alongside Martins, centre, winner of the night’s 50/50 prize draw.
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