Kids from our local hockey team, “The Spirit”, helped a family in need over the holidays by raising funds for food and gifts. Now they and their coach need our help.
They’re in the top 10 of the Chevy Good Deeds Cup (only BC team in the finals) and to make it as a top 3 finalist – they need people to view their brief yet very moving YouTube video. Each complete view counts as one vote and the one minute video can be found here: www.tinyurl.com/vanminor
Their coach, Stephen Gillis, entered the team in this Cup to encourage the kids to be “good people and good players”. Part way, they learned Coach Stephen was battling a very serious kidney disease and needs a transplant. If the team wins, they will donate the $100,000 prize to the Kidney Foundation of Canada.
Can you take a couple of minutes to watch it now? www.tinyurl.com/vanminor
Viewing (voting) is open until midnight on Saturday Feb. 9th.
The Spirit is a PeeWee A2 team with the Vancouver Minor Hockey Association. Here’s more info from the team about how they came to join the Chevy Good Deeds Cup and how we can help:
– The Chevy Good Deeds Cup encourages PeeWee hockey teams across Canada to perform good deeds in their community. The winning team in this ‘off ice’ community effort is awarded $100,000 to the charity of their choice.
– The Spirit’s head coach, Stephen Gillis, enrolled the team in the Chevy Good Deeds Cup to reinforce his mission of being “good people and good players”. The team decided to support a family in need over the holidays and they quickly jumped into action, raising funds for food, and gifts for the family.
– Part way through this effort the team learned that Coach Stephen was battling a very serious kidney disease and was in need of a kidney transplant. The team immediately decided to make a video on Stephen’s behalf, looking for a living donor who would be a match for him. The ‘Please help us help our coach’ video quickly went viral, receiving media coverage across Canada.
– While a match has not yet been found, the team is delighted that their video has reached hundreds of thousands of people, resulting in hundreds of people reaching out to be tested, and raising awareness about the importance of organ donation.
– Unfortunately, Stephen’s kidneys have continued to deteriorate, requiring him to start dialysis this coming Tuesday. The team has decided that if they were to win the Good Deeds Cup that they would donate the $100,000 to the Kidney Foundation of Canada.
– To become one of 3 finalists, they now need people to view their team’s YouTube video submission. Each unique view counts as a vote, and the ‘voting’ (aka viewing) is open until midnight on February 9th, 2019. The 1 minute video needs to be watched to the end to register as a view (or vote).
– The team is asking for your help in both viewing the video and sharing it through your various social networks.
Thank you and I encourage you to watch and send the video to your family and friends.