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March 2006

Planes, Trains, and Auctionables!

It happens during everyone’s lifetime. An event or moment that defines what they are about. For some of you, maybe it was Woodstock. For others, it could have been that big goal against the Russians. And still others, Live-Aid.

For us, as the Edmonton Chapter of the Tourette Syndrome Foundation, it could have been an event we enjoyed on March 23, “Planes, Trains & Auctionables”. For those of you who did not have the pleasure of either attending or getting involved in the first annual travel and adventure auction, make sure you set aside March of 2007 for next year’s event.

With attendance of 350 people, 10 live and 70 silent auction packages, our first annual event was a big success. Partnering with the Edmonton Sunrise Rotary Club, we were able to take advantage of what our local TS chapter has to offer (enthusiastic and engaged volunteers) and what Rotary has to offer (reputation and organizational experience). The expected proceeds of approximately $30,000 will go a long ways to helping us achieve our goals and objectives as a chapter. It is also great to be able to count on this as an annual event, providing us with a more consistent funding source.

A big thanks goes out to all the TS members that got involved in the auction – your involvement made it possible to create such a memorable event, and we are extremely excited about next year’s event. And big thanks to my wife Dalene Onciul for the heart and soul she poured into this event – and to Jeff Polovick and the staff at DRIVING FORCE.

So put on your thinking caps and think up an original travel adventure or auctionable for next year – the more original we are, the more fun and memorable the event will be.

See you next year!

Hubby to the soon-to-be-past-president,
Tim Onciul

A Special Thank You to All of the Sponsors
for the Planes, Trains, and Auctionables Gala!

Gold Sponsors: Driving Force, Foresters, Quick Card, R-Alta Oilfield Services, Lowndes Lambert Group, and General

Silver Sponsors: RAM Inspection & Consulting Inc., Budget Printing, and Doreen Utas

 

Thank you to Michael Kai and Tim Onciul for raising $220.00 in pledges by running in The Great Human Race. Along with 626 of their closest running friends, they dashed for cash for Tourette Syndrome Foundation, Edmonton Chapter. Let’s get a big crew out for next year’s event in May 2006!

A great big thank you to the Bank of Montreal's Fountain of Hope employees program for their generous donation of $400.00

 

 

FISLA

On Friday June 18, TS Edmonton participated in the FISLA (Forest Industry Suppliers & Loggers Association) Golf Classic. With a hole-in-one prize (courtesy DRIVING FORCE), closest-to-the-hole contest and a 50/50 ticket raffle, TS Edmonton raised $1,030! Even better was the 10-minute lesson on TS that 180 golfers were subjected to from Dalene, Lisa and Sandra. They will NEVER forget their experience at our sponsored hole, and hopefully we will be back next year. Thanks to Ken Glover, the Executive Director of FISLA, for giving us the opportunity to participate in his tournament.

 

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF CANADA

Maybe That Child has Tourette Syndrome: Awareness and Support in Edmonton

We are very pleased to announce that our project "Maybe that child has Tourette Syndrome:  Awareness and Support in Edmonton" has been funded by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Canada in the amount of $16,562.

 

Our Edmonton Chapter would like to thank Ronald McDonald House Charities for their generous support. This grant will contribute greatly to our chapter's awareness activities. 

 

The Ronald McDonald House funds will be used to cover:

* New lending library resources ($8,000);

* The purchase and distribution of 'Understanding Tourette Syndrome: A Handbook for Educators' to the remaining 106 schools in Edmonton and vicinity ($1,562);

* The purchase of 200 copies of  "The Circle of Support" the new TSFC in-service video for distribution to groups that request it ($6,000) and;

* The purchase of pamphlets for general distribution ($1,000).

 

Thank you again to Ronald McDonald House Charities for their wonderful support! 

(Brian Benning - Oilers Alumni Association and Chris Field -

Oiler Community Foundation presenting cheques

to Dalene Onciul, Edmonton Chapter president)

EDMONTON OILERS ALUMNI BREAKFAST

A very sincere thank you to the Edmonton Oilers Alumni Association and the Oiler Community Foundation for their gracious donations of $5000 each to the Tourette Syndrome Foundation, Edmonton Chapter. The presentation was made to our chapter at the Oilers Alumni Breakfast on June 25. These funds will be used to further our public awareness and education activities about Tourette Syndrome.

 

LACE UP YOUR RUNNERS...

 

On Saturday, May 8, five runners representing the Edmonton Chapter of TSFC challenged The Great Human Race/United Way 8 K run and finished triumphantly! Even though we only signed up as a charity affiliate a week before the race, when the numbers are tabulated we will likely have raised about $350 for TS.

 

Now that we know we can actually run 8 K without fainting, falling or looking for the nearest Smoothie Bar, next year we will be prepared. We set up our information booth, had exposure to over 1,000 participants, and had discussions with inquisitive running-types! So the challenge is set for next year – get ready for early May 2005!

 

If you would like more information about the Great Human Race go to www.greathumanrace.com

 

 

TS AWARENESS AND EDUCATION
 

The proceeds from our Fairmont Banff Springs raffle went towards the purchase of a display board which we used for the first time at the Greater Edmonton Teachers’ Convention at the end of February. We had many people stop by to ask questions and look at resources. Our chapter has been relentless in its effort to educate and create a better understanding about TS!

FAIRMONT BANFF SPRINGS FUNDRAISER

We sold all but 16 of the 1000 tickets for the two nights accommodation at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta.  Congratulations to our winners, Marcel and Lois Bourbeau! The value of this hotel package was $700. And thank you again to the Fairmont Banff Springs for their generous donation.

 

Through the fundraising that our chapter has done this past year, 800 copies of Understanding Tourette Syndrome,A Handbook for Educators have been distributed to schools in Edmonton and area.  By offering essential TS information, our goal is to promote optimal teaching and learning, end stigma and promote acceptance regarding TS in school settings. If you have a child attending school, please ask their teacher if they are aware of this resource.

 

Our Chapter has made great strides towards fulfilling our mission statement of creating public awareness and educating the general public about Tourette Syndrome. We cannot stop in our efforts to keep funding our organization’s activities – we welcome any ideas you may have to support our goals.

Let’s all extend a very special thank you to the staff at Canada Safeway’s Heritage location and to the TSFC-Edmonton Chapter volunteers for all their hard work. In just five months we have raised over $15,000! With the support of Safeway, we held two silent auctions, a Tailgate Sale, a Fun Run and many in-store raffles.  We had fun, made new friends, and provided many people with a better understanding of Tourette Syndrome.