Truly, this year has thrown some curveballs, but when our one annual fundraiser, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, became a virtual race, we didn't know what to expect. While prepping for the interview with the Canada Running Series, it crossed Carol's mind that turning this into a global event could actually work for us, but by golly, this certainly busted all dreams!
The most global event EVER!
The smallest team EVER!
The most passion EVER!
The most funds raised EVER!
DSDO, meaning the 7 of us who signed up for the 2020 STWM, managed to raise a total of $26,892.24 thanks to our families and friends!
Online:
$25,776.39
Offline:
$1,115.85
Total:
$26,892.24
Fun facts
7 were signed up and all 7 chose to fundraise
Ontario, Canada: Nolan and Amanda, Jennifer, Carol
British Columbia, Canada: Becky, Jon, Sophie and Alex
Michigan, USA: Elle
Colorado, USA: Jessy
Victoria, Australia: Tessa and Sara
First time participating: Elle * Jessy * Sara & Tessa * Nolan & Amanda * Becky, Jon, Sophie & Alex
Returning supporters: Jennifer (2nd year), Carol (8th year)
Have been to Dekpor in person: Elle, Jessy, Jennifer
Youngest runner: Nolan, he's 5
Hardest working teammate-encourager - Amanda (She had to coach a 5-year-old to finish a 5 k run!)
Youngest participant: Tessa @ 6 months
Required the most prep pre-event: Sara (Hey, getting ready for an outing with a baby takes thought and work!)
Wearing crazy costumes: Jennifer, Carol
Did a marathon: the Longe family
Congrats for his first 5 k: Nolan
For the first time ever, the students at Dekpor Basic School also did the run!
Thank you to all the people who gave so generously! There were plenty of our usual supporters, but then, due to the global nature this year, there were so many new people who chipped in to give us the highest fundraising total ever! The proceeds are used to refill our emergency medical fund, run the food programme at Dekpor Basic School, and pay the wages of our DSDO-hires at school.
Our 7 participants raised:
Carol Sheardown $11,240
Elle Bowman $3667.39
Sara Fasano and Tessa Fasano Vaisnys $3005
Becky, Jon, Sophie and Alex Longe $2184
Nolan Kaptyn and Amanda Burns $1500
Jessy de Haan $1055
Jennifer McLaren $1000
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon - October 2019
This was our 7th year participating in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Charity Challenge.
We had 17 people sign up with us, with 11 active fundraising pages. Each year we try to raise the funds required to maintain 3 important things: wages for our librarians/educators, to replenish our emergency medical fund, and to run our food programme.
Despite several of our key participants not being able to take part this year, and thinking that there was no possibility of reaching our team goal, there was an incredible outpouring of support from DSDO friends right at our fundraising finish line!
OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL YEAR EVER! WE BLEW THE TOP OFF THE FUNDRAISING GOAL!
Online: $18,695
Offline: $3,260
Total: $21,955
We are completely blown away by this total. It was unexpected. It is awesome. Thank you to every single person who helped make it happen, from the people who signed up for the STWM, to their friends and family who helped them grow their goal thermometers, to the steadfast DSDO-supporters who always help us out at this time of year. What an incredible team effort!
Fun facts:
17 people signed up through us
11 had active fundraising pages
First time participating with us: Jennifer, Ian, Donna, Dom, Sakeena, Kevin, Ryan
Couldn't be there, but still gave with their hearts: Sonya, Alan
Crazy costumes: Jennifer, Carol
Marathon: Marty, Ryan, Kevin
Half: Ian, Sakeena, Chloe
Badge of Admiration: Donna (she had a chemo treatment the next day)
Best supporter: Dom (Donna's husband who provided the push power so Donna could participate)
Thank you, THANK YOU, for allowing us to fill up the medical fund, to keep our DSDO-educators, and to feed the children! We are grateful to every single person who helped this stellar result a reality!
Top fundraisers:
Carol $8530
Jennifer $1775
Marty $500
Chloe $480
Ian $475
Michele $465
Donna $275
Glen $275
Alan $200
Sakeena $45
Dom $35
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon - October 2018
This year was our 6th in a row at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon!
We had 18 participants sign up with us, with 13 active fundraising pages. Our goal each year, is to be able to replenish our emergency medical fund, pay the wages of our librarians/educators, and to maintain our food programme.
We did it!
$19,063 raised online
$1945 raised offline
$21,008 total
We are extremely grateful to each and every single person who signed up and pulled their family and friends into the DSDO circle by asking them to donate. Raising this much money at one event is truly a team effort!
Fun facts:
First timers with DSDO: Tiffany, Amy, Claire, AJ, Heather, Chloe, Milla, Cathy, Holly, Glen, Daniel, and Leena
Returning DSDO supporters: Michele and Carol (6th time), Sonya (4th time), Alan (2nd time)
Marathon: Milla
Half Marathon Walk: Alan (who also donated his time, talent, and energy IN Dekpor during the summer of 2016)
4 university students took time from midterm madness & traveled from Western/Waterloo: Claire, Chloe, Leena, Daniel
Creative costume: A Drop in the Bucket worn by Carol (who is still hoping to win the contest)
MacGyver skills: AJ (he rigged the bucket handle in the starting corral)
Not-so-fun: There were freakin' snowflakes in the air during the 5 k!
Great news!
With the funds raised, not only are we able to top up our medical emergency fund, pay for our librarians, and offer summer school again, but we can also maintain every student who was on the food programme from last year, plus ADD 18 more students to the programme!
Thank you, thank you , thank you to each and every person who helped make this possible!
Top fundraisers:
Carol - $7050
Claire - $2075
Sonya & AJ - $1245
Tiffany - $775
Cathy - $670
Chloe - $610
Milla - $600
Glen - $310
Michele - $310
Heather - $250
Alan - $200
Amy - $155
Leena & Daniel - $100
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon - October 2017
The STWM is the one fundraiser that DSDO does every year. In fact, this is our 5th year in a row!
We had 14 people sign up to participate with us and raise money. Our goal is to be able to put money into the emergency medical fund, pay the wages of our librarians, and to maintain the students who are on our food programme. This year, we blew the top off our fundraising goal with $17,950 raised online, and an additional $3,245 raised offline. What's that? $21,195!!! Wahoooo!
Marty, Michele, and Carol - 5th time participating.
Marty = superhero for bouncing back from surgery when it seemed like there was no way he would be able to participate, and ran the full marathon! (Nice that his wife, Jenny, ran again, and that their son, Cam, joined for his first time at the STWM.)
Alan - walked the half with two knees that his doc said NO WAY should have done such a journey! Trooper!
Joe, Katie, Alicia, Nancy, Alan, Cathy, Michael, Wally, Maureen - joined us for the first time--we hope they'll be back.
Nancy - made the drive from Ohio and arrived sometime after 1 a.m. Sunday morning, slept precious little, and still ran the half!
Linda - she wins the furthest travel distance, because HOW do any of us beat Ghana?
Thanks also to Maureen and Katie for signing up with us, and AJ for joining us on the 5 k.
Carol, Sonya, and Michele got dressed up for the event and went as a hen and eggs...very, very good eggs. We had fun yolking around with all the eggscellent puns and had a great time posing our way into every photo possible! And, just in case you were wondering what came first, the chicken or the egg...it was determined at the STWM when Carol, in a smarty-feather move, picked up the waddle with about 2 m to go when she heard the emcee asking that very question, and she yelled, 'Me! The chicken, the chicken!'
We thank absolutely everyone who sponsored our participants! What a team effort!
On April 29, 2017, Sherry Bagnato, Natalia Kostiw, Alan Lawrence, Linda Edwards, Craig Moore, Tom Edwards, and Ziya Shah hosted a fundraiser at the Tranzac Club in Toronto to help us get our students educated beyond the junior high school level. They raised just over $4800!!!
We were thrilled that Larry Graves, the Juno-nominated, multi-percussionist, drummer, and composer performed Ghanaian music with his group, Orkestra Gotigo. It was great to see so many people come out to join us! The night included drummers, dancers, musicians, authentic Ghanaian food, hair braiding, the sales of Ghanaian goods made by talented craftsmen, and plenty of smiles.
We are so very grateful for the time, effort, and determination that was put into making sure the evening was a success.
Thanks to everyone who supported this event--we appreciate you!
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon - October 2016
This was our fourth year in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon and we blew the top off our goal! We had 13 participants signed up, and of that, nine were actively raising funds. Online $15,240 added to $2,945 direct made a grand total of $18,185! Wow!
Always doing her best to get her friends to sponsor until the magical $6000 is reached, Carol may have stooped to new lows by going dressed as ‘Captain Crapper’. The butt end of many jokes and comments, it didn’t matter one bit--the whole motive was ‘to get our name noticed’ ... and it worked!
Absolutely all of the funds raised go to maintaining our food programme (125 students right now) and to pay the wages of our three DSDO-hired educators. Without this event, we wouldn’t be able to proceed with either vital initiative.
Marty (of Busch Systems) and Jenny took on the marathon; Giovanna, Danielle, Valerie and Rebecca were signed up for the half. The rest participated in the 5 k event. We were pleased that a couple of our most recent outreach volunteer teachers, Ziya and Craig, joined us. Carol and Linda enjoyed their time with Michele (4th year) and Sonya (2nd year). Krista, was unable to attend, but she had trained and raised funds for us.
We are very grateful to all of our participants and each and every person who sponsored someone! STWM 2016 was a huge success!
Our top fundraisers were:
Carol Sheardown: $6250
Marty Pepper: $2500
Ziya Shah: $2395
Linda Kordze: $1100
Giovanna Panzera: $750
Craig Moore: $740
Sonya McFarlane: $645
Michele Ernst: $445
Krista Scaldwell: $100
Barrie Dragon Boat Festival - August 2016
The Barrie Dragon Boat Festival was held on August 27, 2016 and for the fourth year running, the Busch Buccaneers have chosen to support us in their fundraising efforts! They are a force to be reckoned with on the water and came home with the Moore Packaging Corporate Challenge Cup.
Thanks to Busch Systems International, Sal , Elaine , Joe , and Mike for raising $1175 to go towards water projects this year!
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon - October 2015
We were 'Raising Awareness' in our third year participating in this wonderful event and with 11 mighty fundraising participants, we raised a whopping $15,872!!! The funds are used for maintaining our food programme and for paying the wages of the four librarian/educators we've hired this year.
Carol was dressed as a toilet, and the jokes were flowing--ANYTHING to get some attention for DSDO. (One of these years, we're going to win the costume prize.) Just like last year, it was great for the three directors to get to do this event together.
With threats of snow, it was a cold morning, but 8 people did the 5 km and 3 took on the full marathon! A big shout out to Marty, Jenny and Carl of Busch Systems for their fundraising and commitment to training for the full marathon. This is the third year that the 3 of them have joined us at the STWM.
We thank Pat, Sonya, Lucy and Ken for joining us for their first time this year and for their determination to help us meet our goal. A big thank you again to Michele, who, in her third year with us, celebrated her birthday by walking 5k beside a toilet!
We're grateful to all of our friends and family for helping us beat our 2015 goal!!!
Our top fundraisers were:
Carol Sheardown
Pat O'Connell
Andrew Sanderson
Linda Kordze
Sonya McFarlane
Marty & Jenny Pepper
Lucy Troisi
Carl Wright
Ken Glance
Michele Ernst
Barrie Dragon Boat Festival - August 2015
We'd like to thank Busch Systems, Elaine and coach Ian for raising $2875 that is being used for our latest water projects. We have purchased equipment to have on hand for when repairs are needed at our boreholes, water tower and reverse osmosis unit.
We are very grateful to Busch Systems for their support for three years in a row!
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon - October 2014
It was chilly, but sunny! In our second year participating, we had 17 enthusiastic supporters registered to run. We raised $11,367 online, with another $2781 offline, for a grand total of $14,147!
Just like last year, Carol and Andrew got dressed up, this time as water fairies, to draw attention to DSDO. It was extra special to have Linda participating with us--we had fun doing the 5 k with Michele and Nikki.
A huge thanks to one of our original teacher volunteers, Giovanna, who gave her Summer of 2010 to teach at Dekpor and help set up the library. She raised $705 and ran the half. Thank you, Giovanna!
A big congratulations to Carl Wright who despite all odds, ran his very first marathon with an injured ankle! Read his blog; the full story is inspiring.
Busch Systems, lead by wonderful team captain Marty Pepper, had 12 runners and together they raised
$3264.10! We love having the support of Busch Systems!
On August 23rd, 2014, Busch Systems and BDO, two wonderful Barrie companies, competed in the Barrie Dragon Boat Festival and raised funds for DSDO.
A grand total of $5714.10 was raised to go toward our borehole project.
We are so grateful that while having fun ON the water, these companies are helping PROVIDE water! Thanks especially to the crew captains, Shannon Taylor and Deanna Lancaster.
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon - October 2013
We decided to try something new! In our first year participating in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, we had 18 people join our team and raise money to help fund our food programme and pay for our sponsored teachers. We managed to raise a whopping $15,671!!!
August 2013 saw Busch Systems, BDO and Barriston Law, three wonderful Barrie companies, taking part in the Barrie Dragon Boat Festival and raising funds for DSDO.
They took part in a friendly competition both on the water for final times and in the fundraising.
A grand total of $9325.50 was raised to go toward our water initiatives which include our two filtered water stations, the Busch/BDO/Barriston Water Reservoir, and some left over to go towards a borehole for the village!
In May of 2010, our first group of eight teacher volunteers to Dekpor organized a fundraiser in Toronto. Linda's Ghanaian drumming group provided entertainment, and there were draws, a silent auction with wonderful items, and the opportunity to buy books for the Dekpor library.
A big thanks to everyone who made the evening such a success!
