Ritchie Bros. annual Corporate Kids Challenge will once again allow hundreds of youth to participate in organized sports.
For the past eight years, Ritchie Bros. Burnaby office has hosted dozens of corporate teams to participate in a charity sports day challenge to raise funds for KidSport B.C.
Ritchie Bros. fundraisers reach $1.1 million
This year, the event held on Sept. 9, raised about $138,000 for KidSport. In total, the event has raised more than $1.1 million throughout its eight years.
“I think the Ritchie Bros. Corporate Kids Challenge is the best charity event in Canada, and it raises an unbelievable amount of money, allowing us to help more than 500 kids participate in a season of sport each year,” said Pete Quevillon, director of KidSport B.C. “We are so fortunate to have Ritchie Bros. as a member of our family. Their support is so much more than just a corporate partnership.”
Special guests
The Corporate Kids Challenge is designed to “bring out the kid” in its participants. The full-day event brings corporate teams together with a series of special guest teammates, including Canadian Olympians, local athletes and celebrities. This year’s event featured John Herdman, head coach of the Canadian women’s national soccer team; Canadian Olympians Elizabeth Gleadle (javelin) and Evan Dunfee (race walking). The event also includes a silent and live auction.
“We believe strongly in the power of sport to teach the life skills necessary to build future leaders in our communities,” said Todd Wohler, chief human resources officer at Ritchie Bros. “We started this event as a corporate charity initiative, but it has turned into so much more. Now every year our employees run their own fundraising initiatives leading up to the event and this year they raised more than $13,000. Getting involved with KidSport has helped grow our company culture in more positive ways than we could have imagined.”
KidSport is a community-based sports funding program that provides grants for financially disadvantaged children to participate in amateur sports.
Quevillon added the company’s level of support extends beyond the actual event, and includes thousands of hours of volunteerism and fundraising.
“Quite honestly, I don’t know of another corporation that displays this level of passion for a cause,” Quevillon said.
