Ha ppy Hol idays
Serving RONCESVALLES, TRINITYBELLWOODS, and LIBERTY VILLAGE
wed dec 26, 2012
www.parkdaleliberty.ca
1678 Avenue Rd. (5 blocks north of Lawrence) | 416-783-1928 www.thebistros.ca | Toronto, Ontario
‘The Force’ is strong with Parkdale toy drive ERIN HATFIELD ehatfield@insidetoronto.com
board games, gift cards and, of course, lots of Star Wars merchandise. The force was with them when “There is something special about being able to come over to an employee at Tucows noticed earlier this year the domain name the centre and interact and bring the DarthVader.com was set to expire toys. It makes it more meaningful,” and the company grabbed it up. Goldstein said. “Domain names come up that The Parkdale Early Learning should rightfully belong to a particuCentre is one of five early learning lar brand or intellectual property,” centres run by Child Development said Michael Goldstein of Tucows Institute. It provides subsidized Inc., a global Internet services comchild care for families in need of pany. assistance in the They contacted Parkdale neighbourhood. G eorge Lucas’ Sophia Creary, the Lucasfilm Ltd. and gave them the child-care director DarthVader.com at the Parkdale Early domain name, free of Learning Centre, charge, in exchange explained the notfor a donation to for profit centre – Michael Goldstein offers high quality the Tucows’s annual Elves Project. care for 49 children, from birth to six years of age. The “It was cool. We have such sci-fi geeks at our company that everyone children are from the diverse neighwas just thrilled that we were such bourhood of south Parkdale and heroes,” Goldstein said. Creary said it is traditionally a higher “It is a good example of global need community. industries working together for local “The parents take the gifts home causes.” and many of them save them for Each year employees at Tucows Christmas morning because they host a toy drive for the Parkdale Early want it to be a surprise,” she said. Learning Centre on Close Avenue. “They are all very grateful for (the They raise the money to purchase toys). toys through the regular channels: For some of the families it is the bake sales, barbecues and interofmain gift the children will receive,” Creary added. fice carolling. Where possible, the children’s But this year, the toy drive got a major boost thanks to the donation siblings are also given a gift and gift by Lucasfilms. cards so they too will have a nice “We’re thrilled to be the new present on Christmas morning. owners of DarthVader.com,” said “Child Development Institute is Miles Perkins, spokesperson for pleased to once again be chosen Lucasfilm. “And we are even more as a recipient for the Tucows Elves excited about supporting such a Project, and we are very grateful worthy cause.” for their support,” said Tony Diniz, On Dec. 18, Goldstein and his coCEO of CDI. worker Debbie Browning delivered “The toys and gifts delivered about $3,000 worth of toys to the today will help make the holiday Parkdale Early Learning Centre. season brighter for the children There were nearly 200 toys, bags and families at our Parkdale Early of action figures, stuffed animals, Learning Centre.”
St. Joe’s names clinic exam room after former patient LISA RAINFORD lrainford@insidetoronto.com
‘It is a good example of global industries working together for local causes.’
Staff photo/ERIN HATFIELD
A group of three year olds from the Parkdale Early Learning Centre (left to right assending the steps) Brooklyn, Joanne, Elijah, Mikayla, Shamar, Tyson and Lara, get a sneak peek at the toys delivered to them by the Tucows Elves Project, run by a Liberty Village global Internet services company.
No longer with his family and friends in body, 16-year-old Andrew Olynyk lives on in spirit in the new Just for Kids clinic at St. Joseph’s Health Centre. On Wednesday, Dec. 19, those closest to the teen gathered at the hospital to see for the first time ‘Pediatric Exam Room 1’ and plaque named for the boy who was known for his empathy and for inspiring those around him. “Andrew is smiling,” said his mom, Daria, who had gathered at St. Joe’s new Our Lady of Mercy wing in which the kids’ clinic is located. “If it had been one of his friends who had passed away, Andrew would have been doing the same thing.” In October 2009, Andrew succumbed to hydrocephalus, a condition that causes a build-up of fluid inside the skull that leads to brain swelling, and an inoperable brainstem tumour about two years after his diagnosis. His death has left a hole in the lives of so many, especially his friends who first met Andrew in senior kindergarten at Rosethorn Jr. School near Rathburn Road and Kipling Avenue. Even though the group went its separate ways in Grade 6, all the kids stayed in touch. Jacqui Sirois, Jenna Boccia, Kayla Sabharwal, Lauren Howe, Teresa Haney, Sam Day, Patricia Batten and Natalia Lioutaia banded together to organize a fundraiser in memory of their friend. >>>fundraiser, page 8