Let the kids show you how

If I’m being honest, fundraising is very near the bottom of my ‘favourite things’ list – right beside folding laundry and flossing my teeth. And I’m not the only one. Google ‘fundraising fears’ and you’ll find nearly a million results.

Well, I should say it was near the bottom of my list. Then a couple of kids showed me how easy fundraising can be.

Last month my sister-in-law Angela asked when she could bring the girls by because they had something for me. ‘The girls’ are Tessa and Molly, 8 and 6 years old, and two of the greatest kids you’ll meet. ‘Anytime,’ I said – ‘but are they going to make me cry?’ Reasonable question anytime, but especially in May because of Mother’s Day and Tory’s birthday. Angela paused, and then I knew the answer.

I tried psyching myself up before they came over, and my steely nerves lasted about 3.5 minutes, when the girls sat on either side of me and gave me a gift bag. Here’s what I found inside:

Tessa and Molly letter

I swore after reading it (sorry, Tessa and Molly!). I was amazed by the thoughtfulness of these girls — at a time when they should be excited about receiving presents, they gave so generously to a cause they believed in (no doubt helped along by Angela and Pete, who organize an annual fundraiser for the CIBC Run for the Cure).

That was the first donation to The Tory Day Fund, and it’s been a catalyst ever since for my own fundraising.

My biggest motivation of course has been Tory’s wishes. She wanted desperately for us to raise funds once she got healthy so other chemo patients at Sunnybrook could rest in a comfortable bed while receiving treatment. And I saw daily how she and patients like her are deprived of the comforts we used to take for granted.

In just the first week since the launch of The Tory Day Fund, we’ve raised $13,574 (plus $435 from the girls).

Crazy motivating, right? Good. So here’s how you can help fulfill Tory’s wish:

  • You can make a donation of any amount at any time by donating now. You’ll be taken to our charitable-giving platform, Chimp: Charitable Impact Foundation (Canada) and all donations will go to The Tory Day Fund and receive a tax receipt.
  • You can create a fundraising campaign of your own with Chimp: Charitable Impact Foundation (Canada) and all funds raised by your campaign will go to The Tory Day Fund and receive a tax receipt.
  • You can buy a ticket to The Tory Day Fund Night of Nonsense – all profit from the event will go to The Tory Day Fund.
  • You can ask your employer if they have programs that match your donation or that donate directly to charity (I did both of these week at Hewlett Packard).

Thanks to all of you who have donated and bought tickets so far. What a start! We have a long way to go before we meet and exceed our fundraising goal. If you need help getting started – just remember Tessa and Molly … and of course Tory.

June 24, 2017

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2 Comments

  1. Reply

    Blair

    June 17, 2017

    What a wonderful read. Thanks for sharing that well written piece!

    • Reply

      Jason Fiorotto

      June 23, 2017

      Thanks for reading, Blair – I appreciate it!

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