BRAMPTON -
Mark Stewart is a familiar, likeable kind of guy. The 39-year-old Brampton resident has a passion for hockey, runs a home-based business and looks forward to time with his wife and kids. He is also one of thousands in Ontario living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Diagnosed at age 33, Stewart told doctors he “didn’t have time for MS.” Now, six years later, almost all of his free time is spent organizing an event to raise money to find a cure for the disabling disease. Stewart, who sits on the board of the Brampton chapter’s Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, has spearheaded the ball and ice hockey fundraiser We Shoot… We Score… A Cure for MS. The event runs July 5 and 6 at South Fletcher’s Sports Complex. He said he wanted to combine his love of hockey with his desire to make a difference. The outcome is an event geared toward sports enthusiasts, families and anyone who wants to help a local cause. It is an open tournament for men and women. Ball hockey teams can register for $350 per team, and ice hockey teams for $300 per team. The winning team from each tournament will be awarded $500, otherwise all proceeds will be directed to the cause. In addition to the ball and ice hockey tournaments, the event will include autograph sessions with professional hockey players, an auction featuring sports memorabilia autographed by professional league players, raffles, games, characters, bouncy castles and a barbecue. “We want it to be a fun, recreational tournament with something for everybody,” he said. “Playing for fun— that’s a perfect tournament. And if your wife and kids can come and spend the day too, even better.” Hockey legend Johnny Bower will be on site, signing and selling copies of his book, The China Wall, with part of the proceeds going toward the fundraiser. He will also sell autographs for a $5 donation to the cause. Stewart said there is a good possibility other big names in hockey will appear, but can’t release that information yet. “I have a lot of friends who play professional hockey and they’ve helped me out tremendously,” he said. The event has garnered enormous support from the community, he said, with several local businesses, the City of Brampton and the Region of Peel all donating supplies. Although he’s hesitant to put a specific figure on his goal, Stewart said he’d be thrilled if the event could generate $10,000 for the cause. “But if the tournament makes $1,000, I know my heart was in it and I did the best I could,” he said. “We’re fighting for a cause.” Admission to the event is a $2 donation per person. Stewart hopes to make the tournament an annual event, and even has his sights set on including other sports, such as golf and baseball, in future years. This tournament, he said, is a very personal endeavour. “I’m fighting but losing,” he said of his own struggle with MS. “It’s a battle I’m going to lose, but I’ll never give up on the fight.” For information on the event, visit www.weshootwescore.com or call the Brampton chapter of the MS Society of Canada at 905-458-0267.
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