Milestone event for Their Opportunity
Dimes 4 Parts fundraiser aiming to raise $14,000 to help kids play organized sports
More than 700 children from 25 schools across Durham Region took part in the Dimes 4 Time fundraiser at the Oshawa Civic Fieldhouse. The goal of the event was to raise $14,000 to go towards helping kids who cannot afford to play organized sports. Last year’s event raised more than $12,000.
By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express
It was the largest and perhaps most successful fundraising event Their Opportunity has ever organized and the plans are only to get bigger from here.
On Feb. 23, approximately 700 kids from 25 schools across Durham Region filled Oshawa’s Civic Fieldhouse for the annual Dimes 4 Time fundraiser put on by Their Opportunity. The event, now in its sixth running, was started by Dr. S.J. Philips student Jake Moores to help raise funds for kids who can’t afford organized sports. This year’s event is aiming to raise more than $14,000. Last year’s event surpassed its $12,000 benchmark.
“It makes me feel very proud of what our team has been able to accomplish and especially see Jake’s dream come to this reality makes everything worthwhile for me,” says Randy Gill, Their Opportunity’s president and CEO.
The event will help give approximately 70 kids the opportunity to be involved with organized sports – but more than that, Gill say it gives all participating students a chance to feel a part of something bigger.
“I think they feel included as part of a bigger team, a bigger family of kids helping kids and that’s really what this is about,” he says.
With over 50 community partners and 100 volunteers, Gills says the event has really taken hold in Durham Region.
“The community has really embraced Their Opportunity and this initiative,” he says. “So it makes us feel like we’re doing our job in our communities.”
As the event continues to grow each year, Gill says the hope for 2018 is to make things even bigger, and not just in Ontario, but across the country with plans to install similar events in Ottawa and Calgary next year.