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2- The Oakville Beaver, Friday August 1, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com United Way rekindles Winston Park Challenge By Tina Depko OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF It might not be the Olympics, but the Winston Park Challenge might be just as entertaining to watch as CEOs and their staff take to the field to compete in ridiculous events. Like the Games, the challenge has a rich history. It was back in the late 1980s that the United Way rounded up several company executives in the Winston Business Park and had them compete, along with staff members, in a series of events. The challenge continued for several years, fostering friendly competition between neighbouring companies, promoting team bonding among staff members and most importantly, spreading the word about the United Way of Oakville. After a hiatus, Ann Mulvale, 2008 campaign chair for the United Way of Oakville, approached several different CEOs and company presidents of Winston Park businesses about reviving the challenge. "For the campaign, we thought about what we could bring back from the past and how we could drive towards our ambitious goal so there is money to be allocated to the United Way-funded agencies within Oakville to meet the needs of Oakville people," said Mulvale at the media launch for the event on Monday morning at the office of Brendan Moore and Associates, the title sponsor for the challenge. "One of the things that came up was the Winston Park Challenge, which has been asleep for a few years. So we went to some of the people we knew participated previously and they all said yes." The Winston Park Challenge is not a fundraiser. There is no entry fee for teams and no admission cost for spectators to watch the event. The purpose of the games is to get people to rally around the United Way of Oakville's Campaign launch, which is held in early September. "This will help launch their office's in-house campaign," Mulvale said. "Many of them will fill out their pledge card around the challenge. What we're trying to LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER READY FOR THE CHALLENGE: On hand to relaunch the Oakville United Way's Winston Park Challenge were (front row, l-r) Jocelyn Garrett, Winston Park Challenge chair, Anne Mulvale, Oakville United Way campaign chair, Tamy Brown, Penequity Management Corp., (back row, l-r) Michael Dennis, Moen, Bruce Levitt, Levitt-Safety, Bill Cooper, Cooper Construction. TOTAL ART FRAME FORMERLY FRAME EXPRESS 2 HOUR CUSTOM FRAMING SERVICE to maintain your rolex in impeccable condition, we recommend servicing about every five years. ORIGINAL PAINTINGS, FINE ART PRINTS & CUSTOM-MADE MIRRORS UP TO 70% OFF 360 DUNDAS ST., E. (AT TRAFALGAR) OAKVILLE 905.257.0114 MON.-WED. 10-7, THURS.-FRI. 10-8, SAT. 10-6 WIN A FREE TRIP * do is get people in the spirit, have some fun and then sign their pledge card." The revived event is slated for Sept. 24 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Oakville AMC Centrum Park, located just north of the QEW off Winston Churchill Boulevard. The challenge will feature a number of different events. Planning is still underway, but possible events are volleyball, obstacle race, tug-of-war and a three-legged race. There will also be special CEO events. "The employees love that component because they see their CEOs completely out of character and out of the boardroom," she said. The Winston Park Challenge brings back fond memories for Mike Dennis, president of Moen. He remembers participating in the event years ago. "There are many funny stories, especially the balloon shaving competition filled with whipped cream," he said. "There were potato sack races and minigolf." Moen was the victor the final year the challenge was held in the 1990s and it has signed up to defend its title for a good cause, Dennis said. "Moen has a history of supporting the United Way over many years," he said. "Oakville is a great place to live, raise a family and run a business. Any time we have the opportunity to give back to the community, we do so without hesitation. We live in one of the most prosperous communities in the country, if not North America, but there is still a lot of people in need." Bill Cooper, Jr., CEO of Cooper Construction, gave Dennis a friendly jab, saying his staff has already started training for the competition. Cooper added that he understands there is need in Oakville and that his company is happy to do their part. "We're very proud to call Oakville home," he said. "Our corporate offices are located in Oakville, as well, and we have had the opportunity to obtain a considerable amount of business in Oakville over the years. We gladly give back. It really does take more than bricks and mortar to build a great community. People need strong foundations, like strong social service foundations here in Oakville to help them build positive and productive lives." Event organizers say more teams are still needed. Ideally they are banking on 10 to 15 teams. There are close to 100 businesses in the area, according to Winston Business Park representatives on hand Monday, so finding enough teams to participate isn't expected to be a problem. Several companies have already said they will take part in the challenge, such as Levitt-Safety Limited. "It is very important to us to give back to the community and to those who may not be as fortunate as we are," said Bruce Levitt, president and CEO of Levitt-Safety Limited. "The United Way also allows us to have some fun at work. That's important. We live in a competitive market where our employees have a choice to work for us or go to work for someone else and we've missed the business challenge. We're delighted to see it back so we can inject some fun into our workday.." For information on the United Way of Oakville or to get involved in the Winston Park Challenge, call 905-8455571 or go online to www.uwoakville.org. * with purchase of any fireplace for a chance to win * See dealer for details OFFER GOOD UNTIL END OF AUGUST A FUSION of BEAUTY & STYLE 166 Lakeshore Rd. E. · Downtown Oakville "MASONRY & FIREPLACE DESIGN SPECIALISTS" w w w. c o b b l e s t o n e m b e r s . c a 406 SPEERS RD., OAKVILLE ACROSS FROM RONA LANSING 905-337-2066 905.337.3155 www.silkeborg.ca