There are so many people doing so much good for others, and it’s one of the biggest advantages of my life and career that I get to meet so many of them.
My pal Donald D’Haene and his pal Bill Hill emceed the annual Alice Saddy Trivia Night fundraiser on Friday night.
A few months ago when Donald told me it was going to happen, I got my radio station involved. CJBK became a Platinum sponsor of the event and I offered to take a couple of ringers and play along. Derek, my pal Lianne and I joined ticket winners from First Thing for some delightful munchies and the trivia challenge. About 350 in tables of 8 competed for cash prizes.
Alice died in 1973, having spent her life helping developmentally challenged adults gain confidence and integrate into the community with support and a buddy system. Her friends and family started the Alice Saddy Association to carry on her work. Alice liked big, funky glasses so we had some fun in her image.
Alice Saddy’s clients worked the room, filling up popcorn bowls and topping water glasses. It was an uplifting, moving and fun evening. Not to mention educational.
The night’s first trivia q: What’s the name of the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs? My guess was way off: Fred. It’s Chicxulub. And on it went. I named our team the CJBK Ringers and the best name trophy winner was Trivia Newton-John. Big fun, big money raised, big respect for the organizers and the Auctionista, Linda Leja, who is as much an emcee and force of nature as she is a number-hollerer.
It’s good for the soul to spend time with big-hearted people and London has a lot of them. They make me proud and they humble me, all at once.