It’s a beautiful day here in the great city of Toronto.

Tomorrow is a big day, I’m fired up! FIRED UP!

For the second year in a row I get to earn some money from those who so generously donated to the noble Right To Play by running in the Mississauga Marathon.

So far I’m just under $4000! That’s got me pretty stoked.

If you did donate, thank you very much. I am so very grateful and I know the folks at Right To Play, and those they help serve are so very grateful to.

I’d also like to thank Matthew Good and the other contributors here for allowing me to promote my event and fund raise for it via this site. Thanks also to Raymi and Tony who have in the past two years supported this endeavor via their means.

If you would still like to donate, just tap the link above. A link to that web page will stay up on the link page of Matt’s site for the duration of the pleasure of the administrator.

I’ve written before about how Right To Play goes into failed and failing states and meets with local children and through the instruction of play and sport, teaches children that they have a choice.

They have a choice not to become a child soldier.

Young girls, have a choice about their bodies, and can have respect for themselves.

A choice to be leaders in their communities.

I am on the record as saying the impact of this program is very, VERY, profound. As a soldier, I know kids overseas have very few positive influences or events in which to be optimistic about.

You reach a kid with a positive role model, through a medium like sport, you give them a much better chance.

Right to Play uses professional and amateur athletes as ambassadors that accompany volunteers into these regions. Athletes like Wayne Gretzky, George Foremean, Lance Armstrong, Alexandre Ovechkin. They teach and meet with these children and show them, through sport, respect for themselves and their communities.

I’d like to now recount a story of mine so that I may show you some of the people at Right To Play here in Toronto that help volunteer so generously their time to help out. These are the heroes that grind it out, that don’t get enough credit in my opinion, for this extremely worthy and noble cause.

There’s only 6 full time employees in their office in Toronto. SIX! And on Thursday night, they hosted me in a luxury suite at the SkyDOME during a Jays game.

My contact with RTP, Tania, couldn’t be there (so much is the pity), but she set it up so that myself and a friend could come to the game and meet with those that I knew only through the internet.

I knew this was an opportunity, that goes well beyond an undeserved reward for me. So I brought my friend, and talented photographer Px (aka Phil). Check out this guy’s stuff and you’ll see why I chose him.

Even though my friend Tania couldn’t make it, I still got a chance to meet some incredible individuals who truly inspire. Here’s my story of the night.

This is Warren, I think he’s the boss of the group based in Toronto. I deduce this simply by noticing that he has opted for a sport jacket in lieu of a T shirt. Apparently Warren has worked with Matt’s people in the past on the Pepsi tour back in the 90s.

This is Vanessa. Her face doesn’t always make this expression, but when I told her she had won the Tickets to go see Matt play in Hamilton, and then I let her leave a message on Matt’s voice mail that she was going to go see him play, she was a little surprised. It appears Vanessa is a fan of Matt’s body of work. Funny how these things work, isn’t it?

This is Vanessa (less shocked this time) and Adam, both volunteers. Right To Play needs volunteers because unfortunately it’s just Warren and five others in the Toronto office. I believe there’s an office in Vancouver, and that’s it for Canada.

This is Julia, she handles Education Programming, coordination and apparently some web design over in the Toronto office. Again, due to the short staff, Julia and her associates must wear many hats. If you want to find out how you can help them call Tel: +1 416 203 0190 x 249. Maybe Duane can use his computer and bo staff skills to help with their site.

How clutch are those folks at RTP? They got Phil and I some seats down on the field in the TD Comfort Zone. I feel that this is too much, but you know I’m not going to say no to that. I was thinking about paying them back by streaking across the field, (with the T-Shirt still on of course for promotional purposes!). Phil advised against it. Next time.

This is me consorting with the enemy in between innings. That’s first base running coach for the Rays, George Hendrick. He’s not a member of RTP, but he did have some nice things to say about the Jays’ pitching so I offered him some popcorn. No truth to the rumor that I peed in it first.

If anyone can tell me who this guy is and why he is so relevant I’ll buy you dinner.

Here’s one more of Julia, Vanessa and Mark. Mark’s the one who got me the seats down on the field. A nicer bunch of people you will not soon find.

Nobody asked me, but I am truly blessed.

I’ve been to some of the nastiest places this world can muster, and I’ve lived to tell the tale.

Once a week I get to spit out poor sentence structure on this site with the company of far more qualified contributors, for a great musician and a great and noble leader of our community.

I’ve found a cause that I truly enjoy supporting and will likely do so until the day I die (which hopefully won’t be tomorrow!). On top of all that, those same people of that cause get me tickets on the field at a sporting event for a team I grew up with and love.

You talk about winning the sperm lottery, I wake up every morning and am so happy to be me, and I can’t wait to get out there and earn a fraction of the trust and esteem that has been provided me.

Thanks to all the great folks at RTP, Phil, Matt, Raymi and Tony. What an honour to be associated with all of you, and thanks to everyone who has supported me this year.

Have a great weekend and where ever you are, enjoy it.

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