2018 East Gwillimbury Honouree
The Franklin Club, in its 109th year in 2018, has had ample occasions to share this unique venue for charity fundraisers and awareness events.
Originally a private weekend fishing getaway, this year-round retreat for anglers has extended their support to numerous organizations such as the Southlake Foundation, Canadian Diabetes Foundation, Children’s Wish Foundation, Heart and Stroke, Evangel Hall, Mackenzie Health, Atlantic Salmon Federation, York Region Food Bank, and The East Gwillimbury Fire Department.
Malcolm Mason, current Chair of The Franklin Club Board of Directors, shares his philosophy based on a quote from Winston Churchill, “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.”
The Club and its members are very generous with their time, talent, and passion for worthy causes. The Kasting for Kids fundraising event is one great example, where the volunteer response from members was overwhelming and included many youth and retirees. Children from Holland Bloorview, Canada’s largest children’s rehabilitation hospital, attended, along with their families as guests of The Club to just have fun, enjoy a hosted bar-be-que, and best of all to catch a fish.
Peter Lambros, a sponsoring member of the annual Soldier On Event, is inspired to see people with physical and emotional challenges getting a chance to have happiness and fulfilment in their lives. Having spent time in the Canadian Forces and on peacekeeping duty overseas, it has been deeply satisfying for him to play a small part in helping this event happen for ex-members of the Canadian military. Most memorable for Peter was witnessing how the participants, connected by their service, enjoyed each other’s accomplishment and supported one another in their new endeavours.
A Franklin Club member as well, Chris Whyte’s success as an executive, leading organizations with thousands of employees, speaks for itself. Chris shares a couple of his mottos for life: “Always leave things better than you find them,” and “The best way to have a good day is to do good things.” For Chris, the Kasting for Kids experience was very humbling; working with some of the members to help a patient actually catch their first fish was unforgettable. The joy on their faces reflected exactly what Chris feels when he goes fishing, and it was rewarding to be able to share it. A member for over fifteen years, Chris was also involved in the club’s research committee to improve the health of Lake Simcoe’s ecosystem.
Together with all the members and supporters, it’s very gratifying to see the meaningful success they’ve achieved, and the progress they continue to make each day.