Our sincerest thanks to the following President’s Circle members who generously contributed $1,000 or more in 2012.

Easter Seals OntarioProvincial OfficeOne Concorde Gate, Suite 700Toronto, ON M3C 3N6

Tel: 416.421.8377Toll-free: 1.800.668.6252Fax: 416.696.1035info@easterseals.org

The annual Easter Seals Telethon celebrates our success stories throughout the year, showcases Easter Seals kids and their families and provides us with the opportunity to thank our supporters for their generosity. Funds raised help kids with physical disabilities in Ontario achieve a greater level of independence and accomplishment all-year-round.

Please check your local listings for times and channels.

9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Province-wide

on CBC

How to contact us

SUNDAYMARCH 10, 2013

Peterborough, Sunday, March 3Kingston, Sunday, March 10Sudbury, Sunday, March 24Sault Ste. Marie, Sunday, March 24Windsor, Sunday, April 6

Anonymous (13)Muriel & Doug AckhurstKathy AmessScott AndersenJoy AthertonLaunce BaggShiv & Ranju BansalJohn BarfordSylvia BarnardJeff Barnes & Marcia ZukerKaren & Bill BarnettMichael A. BathgateRob BeacockDavid & Linda BeamishPaul & Kaye BeestonRobert & Marlene BerkovitzMilton & Mary BlackC. BlairDr. Christine BlaisCaleb BonneyCatherine & Rudolph BrattyCora BrodieDon Brodie

William BryantJohn CameronRob CamickJames CarsonMichael ChaoStewart R. ChislettAnthony CipollaGay ClaitmanJ. Brian ColburnMichael CooperElizabeth CrawfordMark & Mary CullenRoger DeGuireParminder DhamiTim DickensBruce D. DoddsDianne H. DomelleMr. Henry EnsAgnes FaraciJim FisherJames FlaniganTerence FletcherMarvin Freiburger

Janice FukakusaBob GaylorJosie & Roy GiesMitchell GoldharMrs. C. Warren GoldringJohn & Kelly GoldsmithMoyra GrahamDominic GualtierGreg HaddadJoseph HamerDoris HansenNiel HansenJames HarperGrace HarshmanDale HawerchukDuncan & Lesley HawthorneGlynis HenryBarbara & Bill HoweFrank & Wendy HuangHeather A.T. & James L. HunterRobert M. JacksonCindy JamikKen Johnston

Allan & Elaine KrochmalnekApril LeeGisele LegaultDavid LeverRick LevinsonGordon LightfootCarol LloydElizabeth LoachCarol-Ann MacDonaldJoe MaioneJoseph MancinelliVera & Russell MarkDaniel MarkMelanie MarslandThe McAuley FamilyBob McCaigMichael McCainPeter McCawleyPascal McCloskeyNancy & John McFadyenDoug McGregorColin & Judy McIntoshRorie McIntosh

Ross McIntoshGordon MorrisonWayne & Donna MossSandra NymarkSean O’NeillMary Anne Palangio & John FilipettoKhorshed PatelYvette PayetteBrian & Linda PearsonJohn PendrithNancy PollockViateur PoulinMarni & Rick PrzybylskiSteve RabyMichael RiceBernie RothPamela RuebuschJoe SchlesingerMichael SchultzJoanne & Norman ScottPeter SenstTina ShierSally Short

Tom & Angela SkinnerGreg SmithBrian SpencerKyle SpencerWayne St. JohnGord StevensonCarole TanenbaumDr. Paul TruelovePuisand LaiJanet VarnerMichael VelsMargaret WallaceDoug WardJohn & Josie WatsonJanice WeightmanJ. Roy WeirDr. Eva Welisch & Stefan WelischShirley & Gordon WhanLinda WhiteMeredith Wiens & Dan HartleyPhilip & Joanne WilsonCarl WilsonBetty WongShlomo Ziv

“When I heard about camp, I thought,‘Mazy has to go’!”

said Misu, Mazy’s mom. This past summer, the adventurous 7-year-old attended Easter Seals Camp Merrywood for the first time.

Diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) at the age of 2, Mazy uses a manual wheelchair and relies on a communication aid, particularly when she is at school. Despite the fact that she can’t speak, “Mazy understands everything and is really glued to your words, so we are able to have full conversations with her,” explains Misu.

The early part of Mazy’s life was filled with numerous doctors’ appointments, treatments and procedures. While being delivered, Mazy was breached and struggled to breathe. She was monitored closely by a team of

specialists and was eventually diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called P10, PAVSD, a complicated heart condition, and CP.

Now in grade 2, Mazy is in a regular classroom in the morning and attends a special education class during the afternoon. After school, Mazy spends time feeding the chickens, pigs and goats with her dad, Greg, on their family farm.

Initially, Mazy’s parents were nervous about sending their daughter to overnight camp for the first time. However, the experience of being independent was the most rewarding

part of camp for the whole family. “She is very dependent on us in her daily life, so being away from us overnight was really important for her,” says Misu.

Mazy is looking forward to going back to camp next summer, where she will continue developing her sense of adventure, try new activities and gain independence.

“For a child with CP who is non-verbal, there are added nerves in sending your kid off to camp. But, it was amazing and she clearly had a great time. I hope to send her every year!”

With a donation of $15, $20 or $50 each month, your contribution will ensure that Easter Seals Ontario can provide consistent, year-round funding and not have to place kids on a waitlist for necessary equipment. Kids with physical disabilities outgrow their equipment throughout the year and Easter Seals strives to provide support on a continual basis.

When you become a monthly donor, your gift starts working right away, and allows us to help families when they turn to us at any time of the year. You will also help us reduce administrative costs, so more of your donation can go directly to enhancing the lives of kids living with physical disabilities.

You can make a difference year-round. Become a Monthly Donor.Visit easterseals.org to register.

easterseals.org

Monthly Giving: Multiply Your Positive Impact

EASTER SEALS NEWSV O L U M E 8 , S P R I N G 2 0 1 3

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A PASSION FOR SPORT

To learn more or become involved as a volunteer, please email us at info@easterseals.org.

“We truly believe in the importance of volunteering our time with Easter Seals because of all the important work that they do. We especially enjoy sharing our time as a family when we work together as a team because we feel that through these valuable experiences, our kids can learn the importance of contributing their effort and giving back to their community.”

Lara Wong, 2010 Easter Seals Provincial Ambassador, received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal from the Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, at a celebration in June.

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal recipients Don Ferguson, Kevin Frankish and Heather Hunter with 2012 Easter Seals Provincial Ambassadors Natalie McDonald and Brandon McAuley at the 25th Easter Seals Gala Ball. (Photo: Lara with the Honourable David C. Onley, and her parents, Peter and Lola Wong)

In the span of less than 10 years, Jason Crone has gone from a local Owen Sound hockey star to a two-time Paralympic medallist. At the age of 15, Jason suffered a spinal cord injury after being hit from behind on the ice. Within days, he was diagnosed as a quadriplegic and spent nearly 6 months in hospital. While in recovery, Jason began asking his parents about going home, knowing that his split-level, childhood home would not be able to accommodate his new disability. It was then that the family turned to Easter Seals for help, who

was there to provide financial assistance for an elevator, so that Jason could access the whole house. “I just wanted to go home, to have that comfort and familiarity of the house I grew up in with my siblings. Easter Seals’ support was huge for me and my family following my accident,” explains Jason.

After finishing high school, Jason focused his energy and passion towards a new sport: wheelchair rugby, earning himself a position on the Canadian Paralympic team in 2006. After winning a bronze medal in Beijing in 2008, he continued to train full-time

and went on to win silver at the 2012 London Paralympics. Now, Jason is back in Owen Sound and the proud owner of a new house and puppy, Dozer.

Jason is currently spending time speaking to students in the community about his journey. Recently, a grade 4 class learning about adjectives unanimously described him as “hard-working.” It is this quality that has taken him to impressive heights of success throughout the world.

Congratulations and good luck in Rio in 2016, Jason!

Last October, Eric Lindros and other former NHL stars hit the ice with registered participants for the first Celebrity Hockey Classic in Whitby.

The two-day event offered participants the opportunity to choose and get to know an NHLer during a draft party, followed by an all-day tournament with the celebrities. The tournament concluded

with an all-star game that pitted the hockey legends against the top individual fundraisers.

This year, the event will take place in 4 communities across the province with Eric and more NHL stars.

Check out lindroshockeyclassic.com

for more information.

Paper Eggs March 1 - March 31 Province-wide

Rogers Conn Smythe Sports Celebrities Dinner & Auction Thursday, March 7 Metro Toronto Convention Centre

Provincial Easter Seals Telethon on CBC Sunday, March 10

Toronto’s Tribute Dinner Thursday, May 23 Ritz-Carlton Hotel Toronto

Easter Seals 10K Run, 5K Run & Walk Sunday, May 26 Newmarket Riverwalk Commons

Easter Seals Regatta Summer Province-wide

Drop Zone Fall Province-wide

Easter Seals Gala Ball Fall Toronto

For over 10 years, Rogers has been a major sponsor of the Conn Smythe Sports Celebrities Dinner & Auction, Canada’s most successful and prestigious sports fundraiser. The media giant supports the production and execution of the entire evening and more. Rogers also generously airs coverage of the

Dinner several times throughout the year on Rogers TV.

As title sponsor of the event, Rogers is integral to the success of the Conn Smythe Dinner. Their long-standing support of Easter Seals also carries through several other events and projects across Ontario.

“My emotional motivation in hosting the annual Sault Ste. Marie Easter Seals Telethon is the smiles on the faces of disabled children and their families who benefit from this wonderful event. Their positive spirit in the face of daily or even hourly hardships never fails to inspire and humble me.”

“Hosting the Ottawa Easter Seals Dancing with the Stars event for the past two years has been a thrill for me. To be a part of a fundraising process that brings dignity to others with an event that respectfully benefits the organization is one that I am proud to be associated with.”

“When I first started working with the Windsor Easter Seals Telethon as a live director, it really was just an exciting challenge, but that changed fairly quickly as I got to know the selfless and talented group of volunteers that keep Easter Seals running and met the kids and families that Easter Seals helps. It’s been a privilege to see the kids year after year and hear about the little triumphs in their lives.”

JIM CRONIN MARY TAGGART PAUL TANNTHE LIN FAMILY

THANK YOU, ROGERS!This year’s Dinner takes place on THURSDAY, MARCH 7

To purchase tickets, visit

Whether managing a registration table, hosting an event or volunteering in our office, volunteers are the bread and butter of our organization. THANK YOU FOR HELPING US SUCCEED!

EASTER SEALS ONTARIO 2013 EVENTS

Jason Crone, two-time Paralympic medallistPhoto courtesy of Sun Times, Owen Sound/James Masters

VOLUNTEER CORNER VOLUNTEER CORNER VOLUNTEER CORNER

connsmythedinner.org.

ERIC LINDROS CELEBRITY HOCKEY CLASSIC

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