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A Cause for Celebration: How fundraising groups are fuelling the growth in marathon race participation
February 18, 2010By Kevin Mackinnon
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Team Sarah at the 2009 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
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Sarah Grand running the 2008 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon with her mother Carmela Grand.
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The London Marathon has become the largest fund-raising event in the world.
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Arthritis Society Joints In Motion team members congratulate each other at the European Marathon in Trieste, Italy.
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Mark Trenton (on the right) finishing his 12th marathon in 12 months on December 12, 2009. He ran on behalf of his daughter who has juvenile diabetes and raised $7,000 for The Arthritis Society.
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Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada Team in Training members at the 2009 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. From left to right: Jill Roote, Amanda Carleton, Jordana Sheps and Michael De Ciantis.
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Members of Giant Steps, supporting kids with autism, at the 2009 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. From left to right: Nancy Killey, Anna Colangelo-Marchesa and Luigi Colangelo.
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Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada Team in Training member Randy Mellon at the 2009 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
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A Team Lymphedema member captures the finish of teammates at the 2009 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
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Hope for Children Foundation members at the 2009 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Christina Kidd (far left), Colin Kidd (second from left) and Caroline Hall (far right).
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Epilepsy Foundation Out of the Shadows team members at the 2009 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Angella Walters (far left) and Jennifer Stone (second from left).
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Team Diabetes Canada at the 2008 Barcelona Marathon races.
Scotiabank Group Charity Challenge
“The Toronto Waterfront Marathon’s Scotiabank Group Charity Challenge is a unique-to-Canada concept that netted almost $2.4 million for 99 mostly small, local charities in 2009,” says race director Alan Brookes. “That’s up strikingly from $1.42 million in 2008 and just over $900,000 in 2007.”
Modelled on the London Marathon’s charity concept, the Charity Challenge offers athletes a turnkey opportunity that includes:
- An international event that provides a world-class platform to raise money for smaller charities with limited resources
- A state-of-the-art online, fundraising program that small groups couldn’t otherwise afford. Scotiabank pays all of the Paymantec and credit card fees so the charities get 100 per cent of the funds raised.
- Full-time staff as support
- A professional PR agency to help promote the charities and athletes.
- Free online training programs and an “Ask the Coach” interactive button to help train for the big event.
“The unique format has become a magnet for other illnesses (as opposed to the large cancer fundraising programs) including women’s, children’s and community-based charities from Epilepsy Toronto or Giant Steps (25 families with kids with autism who have raised over $100,000 a year over the last two years) to Matthew House (for refugees), Assaulted Women’s Helpline, North York Harvest Food Bank among others,” Brookes says. “Our charities are more neighbourhood charities that offer community support like Wellspring (a group that’s not looking for a cure, but rather provides a support network), Yee Hong and Mon Sheong. I think we’ve found a real niche here. And it’s something that ties our marathon closely to the community. It’s a win-win for both the event and the community.”
In 2009, the Canada Running Series charities provided a platform for over $4 million.
NEXT PAGE …the momentum of The Arthritis Society’s Joints in Motion
