By Luke Edwards
Business competition fades away when it comes to the fight against cancer.
With Joe Pillitteri of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Lakeview Vineyard Equipment nearing the rarefied air of raising $1 million for the Terry Fox Foundation through Team Pillsy, they got a little closer to that total with the help of a nearby business that on most days would be considered the competition.
“Craig and the Parkers absolutely stepped up when it comes to Terry Fox,” said Pillitteri. “It’s a pretty selfless thing to do.”
For several months the team at Red Trac International in Vineland has been selling tickets for a special raffle. The prize was a limited edition pink Bushhog mower, one of only 50 made. Similar raffles have been held south of the border to support breast cancer research, and when sales consultant Craig Parker was able to get his hands on one, he knew what he wanted to do with it. Parker recalls driving out west and stopping in Thunder Bay to see the Terry Fox monument. It was then, tired from a long drive that Parker realized just what it was Fox was able to accomplish during his Marathon of Hope when he ran a marathon a day on one leg across half the country.
“It gives you a deep appreciation for what he did,” said Parker.
The Red Trac team wrapped up the raffle at the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention held last month, selling tickets on the trade show floor before drawing the winner’s name on the final day. NOTL’s Dan Lambert won, and will be mowing his grass in style for the foreseeable future.
Parker said they raised $4,000 in ticket sales last year, which was graciously matched by an anonymous donor. With the added sales at the convention, they were looking at a rough total of $9,000 raised for the foundation.
“We just wanted to raise as much as we could to help Joe out,” said Parker.
The expectation is for Team Pillsy to pass the $1 million mark this year, with Pillitteri saying it looks like it’ll happen at the annual comedy fundraiser that will once again be held in September. He said he was “thrilled and feel very fortunate” to have received such support from the community to get to this mark.
“To see him do it will be incredible, and it feels good that we can contribute a little bit,” said Parker.
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