Thank you for your support

The Canadian Athletes Now Fund has done an incredible job raising money for Canadian athletes during it's 2010 Athlete Holiday Drive. They have continued that movement for what is now known as the 2011 Athlete Drive and I am honoured to be apart of it. I keep writing, facebook-ing, tweeting, etc. about Can Fund to the point where people, I'm sure, are sick of hearing me beg for money and ask for your support. Remember that support isn't always about opening up your wallets but sometimes it is about using your voice, your talents and your connections to spread the word. I've found that using my interests - photos, websites, blogging and videos - I was able to spark a lot of interest so, if you have an idea or voice you can be apart of the CanFund movement. It's about to become something huge!

On that note, I am honoured to be the first recipient of one of six annual awards that Can Fund is giving out for athletes who help raise awareness and money for the program. In an e-mail sent to me from the CanFund, here is some of the summarizing information. This should be a big congratulations to not only the award winners but all the Canadian athletes. It is because of this organization that we get our names spread across the country.

Here is some of the e-mail:

Athletes Helping Athletes - Building the Movement: A record 650 athletes applied to CAN Fund on January 7, 2011 for direct funding of their dream to become the best world class athlete they can be.  CAN Fund realized the majority of Canadians have not heard of the Fund.  We reached out to all athletes to share and build AWARENESS of CAN Fund in their community to help us raise more money. 

The ATHLETE HOLIDAY DRIVE was launched.  The most powerful form of advertising in the world is word of mouth and the average person knows 250 people.  With this in mind CAN Fund shared, called, emailed and met with athletes to enroll each athlete in the movement of Athletes Helping Athletes. 

The Award Winners!  A number of athletes really embraced the vision of Athletes Helping Athletes.  CAN Fund has created 6 Annual Awards that will be given to the categories below.  This years winners will receive an amazing Award Gift Package ($3,000 value), will be recognized in the media and on the CAN Fund website.

Spirit/Start-Up Award - Tanya Hunks, Swimming

Impact Award - Katy Murdoch, Swimming

Momentum Award - Rosanna Crawford, Biathlon

Sustainability Award - Kevin Rempel, Sledge Hockey

Trailblazer Award - Warren Shouldice, Freestyle Skiing

The Good Sport Award - Ali Lee, Field Hockey

Highlights:

-The first donation made to the Athlete Holiday Drive was from a contact of Tanya Hunks (Swimming). 

-Athletes started calling their media and CAN Fund started receiving calls from Regina, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary because of athletes

  being interviewed.

-Athletes started requesting CAN Fund equipment decals, patches and apparel to wear.

-Athletes started getting creative, Patrick Biggs (Alpine Skiing) and Keith Loach (Skeleton) asked for their Christmas gifts to be donations to 

 CAN Fund and Ali Lee (Field Hockey) created her own event on our website, asking for her Birthday presents to be donations to CAN Fund.

-Social Media, athletes started to blog, twitter and create videos explaining what CAN Fund is and how it impacts athletes performance. 

-Athletes like Simon Whitfield, Cassie Campbell and Silken Laumann all got involved.

Something amazing happened on the final day of the Holiday Drive.  More athletes started to share about the Holiday Drive.  Great things happen when our athletes work together...$18,700 was raised in the final hours by only a few athletes sharing.  This is so positive.  Imagine what could have been achieved if ALL the athletes had shared!  Over $800,000 could have been raised.  What we saw in the final day of the Holiday Drive exemplifies the power of what is possible when we work together.  And with that, the Athletes Helping Athletes movement has been born.  It is now the Athlete Drive 2011 and we will continue to work together and build ongoing awareness about CAN Fund on a consistent basis.  The new link to share the Athlete Drive is http://tinyurl.com/48vtnds

Event Summary:  Approximately 50 of the 650 athletes helped build awareness and raised $65,700 - and on the final day $18,700 was raised.  Surprisingly many of these 50 athletes have not received funding from CAN Fund in the past. 

We thank all the athletes who believe in our mission of Athletes Helping Athletes.  It is important more Canadians know about CAN Fund so we can support as many athletes as possible.  People want to support athletes, they just need to know about the CAN Fund and how it works.  A great foundation has been established it is now time to continue to share. 

THANK YOU to all of my supporters and to the CANFUND!