Vancouver, BC – For the first time in Vancouver sports history, Canucks Autism Network (CAN) will bring all five professional sports teams together with provincial sport organizations for an unforgettable family event. On Sunday, May 12th, from 1:00-4:00 pm, over 250 families living with autism (850 individuals) will hit the field at BC Place for the 7th Annual CAN Sports Day, sponsored by Centaur Products Sports Contracting, The DB Perks Group and BC Place.
As in previous years, professional players, alumni and mascots from the Vancouver Canucks, BC Lions, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Vancouver Canadians will lead activity stations at the multisport event.
New this year:
The Vancouver Warriors will join the fold alongside BC Rugby, British Columbia Golf, BC Athletics, Tennis BC, BC Lacrosse Association and Jays Care Foundation Challenger Baseball.
Confirmed athletes include:
Antoine Roussel & Manny Malhotra – Vancouver Canucks
Jake Nerwiknski & Brett Levis – Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Jordan Herdman & Claudell Louis – BC Lions
Professional sports heroes and community rec leaders alike will lead children, youth and young adults with autism in an unprecedented array of sports activities.
In addition to giving CAN participants a truly memorable experience, the hope is to connect hundreds of individuals and families living with autism to a greater range of community-based sports organizations and spark a lifetime of physical activity.
“Individuals with autism face many barriers for participating in community recreation,” says Stephanie Jull, Canucks Autism Network’s VP of Programs, Training and Community Engagement. “By uniting an entire community of BC sports leaders, we can work together to take individuals with autism off the sidelines and back into the field of play.”
Media are invited to attend between 1:15pm and 3:45 pm and are asked to enter through the East Gate entrance. Players and families will be available for interviews throughout the event.
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ABOUT CANUCKS AUTISM NETWORK (CAN) Canucks Autism Network (CAN) provides year-round sports and recreation programs for individuals and families living with autism, while increasing awareness and providing training in communities across British Columbia.
Founded in 2008 by Vancouver Canucks Co-owners Paolo and Clara Aquilini, CAN’s vision is for every individual with autism to be understood, accepted and supported in all community spaces.
This past Winter, I took part in the Canucks Autism Network (CAN) Indoor Rock Climbing program. Held at Climb Base5 in North Vancouver, I met many youth and young adults with autism.
I had rock climbed in the past. Yet, this program really gave me the opportunity to master my rock climbing and social skills in an adaptive environment where I could grow and flourish with the support of the CAN staff and volunteers.
At the beginning, I was a little scared to participate in the program, as I had not climbed in quite a few years. For the first few sessions, I only went halfway up the climbing wall and refused to boulder. My intuition told me that it may be unsafe to climb. It took me a while to become familiar with all of the climbing courses.
I certainly have struggled to maintain good physical and mental health, so I try to be a fairly active person and work out at the gym regularly. My workouts at the gym are nothing like my experience in the rock climbing program.
Rock climbing is much more engaging for me, especially because I got to climb beside other participants. Whereas, at the gym I mostly exercise alone and stick to my individual routine.
Mingling amongst a large group of people isn’t an easy task for me due to my lack of social skills. However, as soon as I became more familiar with the staff, volunteers, and participants, I felt more comfortable socializing and engaging in activities.
In the first few weeks, I climbed multiple circuits. Yet, I still did not feel comfortable climbing to the top. My fear of heights kicked in. I was worried about getting stuck at the top and not being able to come back down.
The CAN staff were nothing but patient and encouraged me to persevere. They did not rush me or demand me to climb higher than I wanted. They were my biggest cheerleaders each week.
Funded by MEC, the program featured staff from CAN & Power To Be. Before the program began, rock climbing instructors received autism training from both CAN & Power To Be.
Each time I got scared and began to climb down, the staff continued to encourage me.
I felt extremely out of my comfort zone. Climbing up the walls felt foreign. I had to figure out which holds would be easiest to grip onto and which ones were exclusively meant for climbing with my feet.
It wasn’t until the very last session of rock climbing that I made it to the top of a more advanced obstacle.
I was so proud and excited. My heart was filled with joy and I remember looking down to the staff as they cheered.
I felt very touched by everyone’s support and words of encouragement. Having their support during the program meant a lot. It showed that they cared and really wanted me to push myself harder to accomplish my goal of reaching the top of the climbing wall.
At the end of the last session, I was very fortunate to have MEC donate the climbing gear that I used during the program.
Although the rock climbing program ended just a few short weeks ago, I have plans to go rock climbing again one day with a friend.
As I continue to grow and learn, my mind always goes back to the successes. It is experiences like these where I have felt most comfortable, because I was in a safe environment with non-judgemental individuals. This means a lot to me because as an young autistic woman, I am constantly faced with unfair criticism, mostly from those who do not know much about autism.
CAN has been a major aspect of my life since joining as a young teenager. I’m thrilled to have found another place to call home and for the opportunity to meet other persons with autism similar or different from myself.
I feel more challenged to continue climbing outside of the rock climbing program. In the future, I’d like to try more advanced courses and explore bouldering.
I would like to thank CAN, Power To Be and MEC for the opportunity to rock climb. I now believe that no obstacles are too hard to reach and if I continue to push past my struggles, I can achieve almost anything.
I have gained a great deal of confidence. I’m hopeful and excited to participate in more CAN programs where I can hone more of these skills.
Rob MacMillan is a BCEHS paramedic specialist who serves on the Canucks Autism Network (CAN) First Responder Advisory Committee.
First responders are more than seven times more likely to interact with an individual on the autism spectrum.
However, most aren’t trained on how to recognize autism or utilize effective support strategies in crisis situations.
Due to anxiety, sensory sensitivities, triggers, or communication barriers, emergencies involving an Autistic individual can often escalate quickly without this background of understanding.
As a BCEHS Paramedic Specialist and father of a daughter on the spectrum, Rob MacMillan is highly motivated to bridge this gap. Together with six other members of the Canucks Autism Network (CAN) First Responder Advisory Committee, Rob played an instrumental role in developing and launching our First Responder eLearning Module this past January.
The First Responder eLearning Module is a FREE 1-hour course available to fire fighters, police officers, paramedics, search and rescue and other emergency care providers across BC. Visit elearn.canucksautism.ca to access now!
Rob recently shared an example from the field that illustrates how a little understanding can go a long way in emergency situations.
Last month, Rob was at a dispatch centre when a call came in involving a boy on the spectrum who had climbed three stories up a tree. Rob arrived on scene to find the boy’s mother anxiously watching as her son continued climbing to dangerous heights.
“Fire rescue had already arrived,” Rob recounted. “And any time one of them tried to approach the boy, he just kept climbing higher and higher. He wasn’t afraid – he was just having fun. But we were all extremely distressed. Meanwhile, the tree was starting to sway as he continued climbing.”
Despite Rob’s personal experience with autism, he knew that each child on the spectrum is an individual with their own unique personality. He asked the boy’s mother about her son’s likes, dislikes, triggers and ability to communicate. The mom informed him that her son was non-verbal. They began to strategize together.
Learning that the young boy was highly interested in his mom’s iPhone, they initially tried to show him something on a smart phone to encourage him to climb down.
As a BCEHS Paramedic Specialist, Rob provides on-scene support for high-risk situations in the Lower Mainland.
When that didn’t work, Rob regrouped with the firefighters. Although the boy was non-verbal, Rob explained to them that he could likely understand the words they were saying and that they simply needed to adjust the way they communicated with him.
“They just needed to talk to him nice and slowly, allowing time for their instructions to sink in,” Rob recounted. “His mom had also indicated that he likes [sensory] pressure, so if they needed to hold him to help him down the tree, he’d probably like that if it felt to him like a hug.”
Armed with a bit more knowledge of the boy’s needs and communication style, the firefighters began another ascent up the tree. But slower. And with newfound confidence felt more confident that the boy was understanding what they were saying, and that they could interpret his behaviour a bit better as well.
When one of the firefighters eventually reached the boy, he used simple language and offered the boy a big hug. The boy accepted his invitation with open arms and together they made their way back down to the ground.
After nearly two hours on-scene, Rob watched as the boy was successfully rescued and reunited with his mother.
“She had tears in her eyes. Most of all, she was just so relieved that somebody there understood autism and what was happening up in that tree.”
CAN’s eLearning Module for First Responders is FREE and available 24/7 online. Since launching in January 2019, over 800 first responders across BC have accessed the training. Take the 1-hour course at elearn.canucksautism.ca.
In junior and college, he competed against current NHL stars like Tyler Bozak, Kyle Turris and Jake Gardiner. After turning pro, he traveled the world and played in the United States, Hungary and France.
Though he is now retired, Michael hasn’t come close to hanging up his skates. Since settling back home in Surrey, he has found a new calling on the ice as a Canucks Autism Network (CAN) volunteer.
Every Wednesday evening, he laces up at Cloverdale Arena to support CAN participants in our skate program.
“I love being on the ice,” Michael explained. “And CAN has allowed me to pass on my skills and joy of skating to the kids.”
His enthusiasm has helped countless CAN participants develop confidence on the ice and a shared love of skating. The CAN staff in Cloverdale have taken notice.
Whenever they encounter a participant who may need some extra motivation and encouragement, the staff are quick to pair them with Michael.
“The kids gravitate to him because he’s got such an advanced skill set on the ice,” said one of our CAN skate coaches. “But he’s been able to support them in ways that show a natural ability to connect with our participants too.”
While April 7-13 marks National Volunteer Week in Canada, it is also Autism Awareness Month. Like many CAN volunteers, Michael came to us with no experience supporting children with autism. But through a clear passion, desire to give back and guidance from CAN staff, Michael has developed the understanding of autism necessary to make a lasting impact on our participants.
“It only takes an hour out of my week,” Michael shared. “And to be able to put a giant smile on a child’s face – that’s something special. Getting to build relationships with the children and seeing not only their skating skills improve, but also their confidence and interpersonal skills, has been tremendously rewarding.”
Outside of CAN programs, Michael is starting a career as a firefighter with the City of Delta. He will be joining a first responder community in BC that is becoming increasingly aware and accepting of individuals with autism, as well. This past January, CAN launched a free and online training tool for first responders. In the three months since, over 600 fire fighters, police officers, paramedics, search and rescue officers and more have completed the training.
Michael will be starting his new role with valuable hands-on experience and is eager to utilize his newfound understanding of autism.
“I have gained so much knowledge and so many communication skills volunteering with CAN,” Michael said. “As a firefighter, it is extremely reassuring that I can use my knowledge about autism to respond to calls involving individuals on the spectrum.”
As an organization, we are uplifted that volunteers like Michael will continue to support the autism community long after their time in our programs.
Thank you for the incredible ongoing support! As new followers continue to share the video, we want to address some frequently asked questions.
Q: Why is Canucks Autism Network not donating money?
The purpose of the campaign is not for Canucks Autism Network (CAN) to donate $1 per video share. As a registered charity, CAN is the recipient of donations resulting from the #CANDidYouKnow campaign.
In order to maintain the Surrey Fire Fighters Charitable Society (SCCFS)‘s funding commitments to many other deserving charities, together, we decided to cap their incredibly generous support at $1 for the first 5,000 shares. Since then, four additional organizations have stepped out to match (listed below), bringing the total funds raised to $25,000!
This is a phenomenal contribution to Canucks Autism Network programs, training and awareness initiatives that will have a long-lasting impact across BC. We cannot be more thankful to all who have shared and to all five supporting organizations who have stepped up to donate.
Q: Why are people still re-sharing this to their account?
The goal of this video campaign continues to be for autism awareness and acceptance. Because of you, the video has exceeded expectations. The Surrey Fire Fighters Charitable Society (SCCFS) is also a non-profit organization that makes charitable donations to other organizations in the community, SCCFS have been able to commit $5,000 to Canucks Autism Network and we are very grateful for their support. As a result, additional organizations have stepped up to match their initial donations and have now brought the total funds raised to $25,000.
Q: If I re-share to this my account, will be $1 be donated?
$1 has been donated for the first 25,000 shares across social media channels. Because we have capped the donations, any shares beyond 25,000 will no longer receive a $1 donation. In order for more dollars to count per share, we would require additional donor support. If you would like to help, please contact: connect@canucksautism.ca
Although your share of our video may not result in a $1 donation, the invaluable awareness and acceptance of autism that this video is generating is incredibly invaluable.
Q: I don’t know how to share this video. Can I donate to Canucks Autism Network and/or Surrey Fire Fighters Charitable Society instead?
$25,000. Canucks for Kids Fund have officially come onboard to contribute to the #CANDidYouKnow campaign. Thank you!
2019-04-04 – 4:16 pm
Incredible. Our friends at BMO have also donated $5,000, bringing the total of this autism awareness & acceptance campaign to $20,000!
2019-04-04 – 3:17 pm
We are thrilled to announce that Aquilini Development has stepped up to contribute an additional $5,000 to our “Did You Know” campaign! Together with SFFCS and YVR, the total funds raised through supporters sharing our autism awareness and acceptance video is now $15,000!
2019-04-04 – 9:21 am
To all those who have shared and retweeted our “Did You Know?” video on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, THANK YOU for your tremendous support of the cause!
We are overwhelmed by the support and reach of the campaign and are beyond thrilled with the awareness that has resulted from it.
To maintain the ongoing funding commitments of one of our key partners, we have decided to cap the Surrey Fire Fighters Charitable Society (SFFCS) donation at $5,000.
We are thrilled to announce that Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has stepped up to match the $5,000 and support the campaign. Thank you to YVR for being an incredible supporter and partner!
We welcome any other businesses or partners who want to step up and match the funds to support the continued reach of this campaign. Until then, we are immensely grateful to all those who continue to share (despite the funding cap) for the sake of awareness.
We created this video with the hope of raising autism awareness and acceptance, as well as vital funding for our programs, training and awareness initiatives across BC. We could never have anticipated the outpouring of support that we have received since posting across our social media channels on April 2nd.
On behalf of the over 4,700 individuals with autism that have benefited from our programs, THANK YOU for your support! We hope that this video will help create a future where every individual with autism is understood, accepted and supported in all community spaces.
Please email connect@canucksautism.ca if you have any questions or would like to donate to support the cause.
— Canucks Autism Network (@canucksautism) April 2, 2019
Daniel Sedin & Kirk McLean with representatives from CAN & Modern Green Canada (Photo: Paul Yates)
Feb 8, 2019
“This was the best weekend of my life. And I got married on a weekend.” – Jeff, CAN Pro-Am participant
After months of tireless fundraising for Canucks Autism Network (CAN), 16 rec and corporate teams laced up for the inaugural CAN Pro-Am Hockey Tournament, presented by Modern Green Canada. Featuring 19 NHL Alumni, including the surprise addition of Vancouver Canucks legend Daniel Sedin, it was truly a weekend to remember.
Each team’s journey began with a pledge to raise at least $20,000 for CAN. By the time the dressing rooms at Rogers Arena were cleared, the CAN Pro-Am had raised an incredible $575,000 to support programs for individuals and families living with autism across BC.
Pre-tournament festivities
The weekend festivities kicked off Friday afternoon in the Rogers Arena Captains Room with the Hotstove Luncheon, sponsored by Zerto. VIP guests were treated to decadent family-style fare while listening to unheard stories from Canucks Alumni spanning all three of the team’s Stanley Cup Final runs (1982, 1994, and 2011).
Brought in to moderate the panels was Sportsnet 650 personality Scott Rintoul. In addition to hosting the exclusive Q&A, Sportsnet 650 was live on location broadcasting for the duration of the weekend.
That evening, business attire was swapped for jeans and jerseys, as players and sponsors headed to the Imperial Vancouver for Draft Night, sponsored by Odlum Brown. Having raised a tournament-leading $75,667, the Odlum Brown Bulls lifted the inaugural “CANley Cup” and earned the right to select first overall. With the top pick, they selected former Canucks winger Raffi Torres.
The Odlum Brown Bulls lift the CANley Cup as the Top Fundraisers
In true NHL style, the showstopper on Draft Night was a surprise trade. Comprised of five CAN parents, the Healthy Scratches swapped their second overall pick to the tenth-ranked fundraising team in exchange for a $5,000 donation to CAN.
NHL Alumni hit the ice
With each team boasting a former NHL star on their roster, the stage was set to hit the ice on Saturday morning. Over the next two days, CAN Pro-Am players lived out their wildest hockey fantasies, competing alongside the likes of Daniel Sedin, Josh Gorges, Kirk McLean and more.
While there were many close games on Saturday, the action at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre was highlighted by a thrilling shootout win from Dave Babych and the Healthy Scratches. Featuring a CAN parent in goal, Lee McCormick went head to head against former Canucks 30-goal scorer Mikael Samuelsson and came out on top.
Mikael Samulesson (left) during the CAN Pro-Am All-Star Game | Photo: Paul Yates
For CAN parents like Lee and John Carinha, the tournament experience was especially impactful. “The CAN Pro-Am has brought together a group of strangers with NHL greats for a common goal,” said John. “And it has nothing to do with the score of the game. We’re all here to highlight the opportunities that CAN offers the autism community. And most importantly, to fundraise for them to continue growing their reach.”
With games transitioning to Rogers Arena on Sunday, the tournament culminated in a highly-anticipated All-Star Game that showcased the top 22 individual fundraisers and eight NHL Alumni. Despite names like Daniel Sedin, Brendan Morrison, and Cliff Ronning on the ice, players and spectators were reminded of the real stars of the weekend during the pre-game ceremony.
Top fundraiser Bob Shanks was joined by 10-year-old CAN participant Noah Zanatta and Carleen Pauliuk from Presenting Sponsor Modern Green Canada to drop the ceremonial puck between Kirk McLean, and Daniel Sedin. Then, with a number of CAN hockey participants lined up at centre ice, Daniel shook the hand of each of the aspiring youth athletes.
Daniel Sedin greets members of the CAN hockey program. | Photo: Paul Yates
Like every pre-game ceremony at Rogers Arena, players were invited to remove their helmets for the singing of the national anthem. Taking the mic was 9-year-old Jayden Weiss, a member of the CAN/Sarah McLachlan School of Music program. Incredibly, Jayden sang ‘O Canada’ by heart, just four years after being unable to speak
Needless to say, the CAN Pro-Am was full of inspiring moments that are sure to bring rec and corporate teams back year after year. In an interview with Sportsnet 650 after the tournament, former Canucks star Brendan Morrison reflected on the impact that the CAN Pro-Am had on everyone involved.
“There was such positive energy all weekend,” Morrison shared. “Guys were talking about how they can’t wait until next year and how it’s going to grow and get bigger, which is huge for CAN.”
The collective fundraising effort of each team was bolstered by support from community sponsors, most notably the tournament’s presenting sponsor, Modern Green Canada.
Daniel Sedin returning to Rogers Arena for a cause! | Photo: Paul Yates
“This weekend was truly every hockey fan’s dream,” said Raymond K. Li, President of Modern Green Canada. “All the NHL Alumni were phenomenal and every player was smiling from ear to ear all weekend long. As a real estate developer and the Presenting Sponsor, we are honoured to partner with Canucks Autism Network to showcase our shared commitment to our community. Thank you to everyone involved for making this inaugural event such a success.”
With $575,000 raised, CAN Pro-Am players and supporters can take pride that their participation has helped ensure that individuals with autism will also have the opportunity to enjoy the thrill of sports province-wide.
This past December, Canucks Autism Network (CAN) Manager of Programs, Elisabeth Walker-Young, received the incredible honour of being named to the Order of Canada. As per a statement from the Governor General, Elisabeth has been appointed “for her excellence in the sport of swimming and for her advocacy of inclusive sport in Canada.”
We are overjoyed that Elisabeth’s tireless work to promote accessibility has been so highly recognized on a national level. We welcomed Elisabeth to our office team in September 2017. She joined CAN as a highly-experienced advocate and changemaker for inclusion in sports — both as an athlete and a professional.
As a competitive swimmer, Elisabeth is a four-time Paralympian that has won three gold medals for Team Canada. At the 2015 ParaPanAmerican Games, she was chosen for the role of chef de mission (official leader and spokesperson) for Team Canada – an honour that foreshadowed her career in affecting positive change.
Photo from games.paralympic.ca.
After retiring from competition, Elisabeth took on managerial roles with ParaSport Ontario, Curl BC, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and viaSport BC, before joining CAN.
In celebration of her appointment, Elisabeth was interviewed this week by Accessible Media Inc (AMI) in Toronto. In addition to speaking about her lived experience as an athlete with a disability, Elisabeth reflected on the province-wide impact on individuals and families living with autism that she now helps oversee with CAN.
“I absolutely love [working at CAN], because it’s an organization that truly believes in sharing their knowledge. We provide that intro to sports, but a huge part of what we do is training,” Elisabeth explained.
“From a capacity issue, we can’t offer [every possible sports and rec program], so we train the sports sector, recreation sector, first responders. We train anyone in the community to be inclusive and to understand what autism is so that there are more positive experiences in the community.”
On being named to the Order of Canada, Elisabeth had this to say: “It’s a huge honour, but my work isn’t done. I know there’s still so much more to do and so much more to give.”
With passionate leaders like Elisabeth at the helm of our province-wide efforts, we are so excited for what the future of CAN programs, training and awareness initiatives holds.
FREE E-LEARNING MODULE LAUNCHES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BC PARKS AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION
In an innovative effort to increase accessibility for individuals with autism in community recreation, Canucks Autism Network (CAN), in partnership with BC Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA), has launched a free E-Learning Module for recreation providers across BC. Funded by the Ministry of Child and Family Development (MCFD), the online resource represents an unprecedented collaborative effort among government, recreation, and the non-profit autism sector.
The one-hour online module outlines behaviours associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), as well as effective strategies for supporting children and youth with autism in recreation settings. The interactive module also highlights interviews with experienced recreation leaders who have successfully implemented these strategies, which include communication tips, behavior support, and teaching tools. The E-Learning Module can be accessed at no cost at elearn.bcrpa.bc.ca or canucksautism.ca/recreation.
“Canucks Autism Network has been providing workshops to the recreation sector since 2012, and demand grows exponentially every year,” said Dr. Stephanie Jull, VP of Programs and Training at Canucks Autism Network. “This new online training module provides an exciting opportunity to spread knowledge and build capacity across BC and beyond, creating a positive impact for the thousands of families living with autism in our province.”
The project began after CAN successfully pitched the need for a widely-accessible online resource to the MCFD in 2017. With 1 in 66 Canadian children diagnosed with autism, and over 16,000 children and youth with autism in BC alone, MCFD recognized the growing need for community accessibility.
“All kids deserve the opportunity to participate in sports and other activities,” said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development. “I’m pleased that MCFD could collaborate with CAN and BCRPA to bring this specialized training to recreation providers so that they can provide the supports kids need to join in with their peers.”
Research shows that individuals with autism are far less likely to participate in community recreation than their typically-developing peers. Furthermore, research indicates that physical activity can increase attention and cognition while decreasing anxiety, among children and youth with autism.
“We are thrilled to be presenting this valuable E-learning module in partnership with CAN, said Rebecca Tunnacliffe, CEO of BCRPA. Our members who manage and work in recreation facilities across BC hold very highly the importance of creating a positive experience for all their participants. This module will directly assist staff to amplify their awareness of the needs of autistic individuals, and implement strategies to provide them with a positive experience so they will want to return again and again.”
Since 2012, CAN’s province-wide team of training facilitators has delivered hundreds of workshops to well over 10,000 individuals in the public sector across BC. In addition to supporting the sport and recreation sectors, CAN’s live training team builds capacity for first responders, education staff, and a variety community spaces including YVR, Science World, and the Vancouver Aquarium.
CAN is proud to unveil three online training resources for various sectors in January 2019. In addition to the launch of the E-Learning Module for recreation providers, CAN has also released an online training module for first responders and will be unveiling an online resource for sport coaches in late January.
At CAN, we have always firmly believed that our programs benefit not only the individual participant, but the entire family. We pride ourselves in providing opportunities for families to spend valuable time together and connect with others who understand their challenges and triumphs.
That’s why it is so humbling and rewarding when we hear stories like this one.
Charmaine shared with us how it was their family’s 6th time attending the annual holiday event at VanDusen Gardens. She presented us with a collage of family photos they had taken each year.
The second gift was directly from Jack. And it was something he had saved up for a year to give us.
“When Jack does chores at home, he gets $5 for every 20 tasks completed,” Charmaine explained. “10% goes to his savings and 10% goes to his charity of choice. And at his school’s entrepreneurial fair this year, he sold macaroons and shortbread that we baked together. On his sign, he wrote ‘10% goes to charity'”.
His charity of choice?
“Jack said he wanted to give it to CAN because he gets so much from you,” Charmaine told us.
(We’re not crying. You are!)
In addition to being longtime CAN parents, Trevor and Charmaine have both volunteered in our programs and our office for numerous years. It should come as no surprise that they have raised such an incredible young man who gives back with no hesitation.
During the holidays, our values of family and community become increasingly important. That’s why it is such a privilege to be welcomed into the lives of thousands of families like Jack’s across BC.
Happy holidays to all of our CAN families. From everyone at Canucks Autism Network.
UPDATE: This past February, Jack and his family were chosen for the Canucks’ Eagle’s Nest program. For their incredible contributions to CAN, they were treated to a Canucks game, an in-game message and an opportunity to meet defenceman Ben Hutton outside the team’s dressing room! See more photos on Facebook.
Jack’s family with Canucks defenceman Ben Hutton during a post-game meet-and-greet.
But these opportunities to succeed wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of longtime supporters like Lawrence and Sandi Thiessen.
While the Thiessens are not personally impacted by autism, they understand the struggles that families living with autism face everyday in their community.
“We attended our first Canucks Autism Network event many years ago,” recalls Lawrence. “We learned firsthand the positive impact CAN programs have.”
“It was an opportunity to support an organization that restores hope. We saw immediately that CAN was making a difference and we wanted to be involved.”
Thousands of CAN families, supporters and members of the general public gathered at Surrey Civic Plaza in July 2018.
“To see the kids and their families having so much fun, and simply being themselves was inspiring.”
What he saw that day was a reflection of why he gives back. As Lawrence put it, CAN gives opportunities for “kids to be kids.”
CAN is only able to grow, thanks to the generosity of key donors like Lawrence and Sandi Thiessen who prove that it does not take a personal connection to autism to see the need for support.
The gift of hope for families living with autism can be given by anyone. Together, we can achieve our vision for a future where every individual with autism is understood, accepted and supported in all community spaces.
