Steve SmithYesterday in Gastown, Webnames.ca participated in Vancouver’s first annual Canary Derby. Along with approximately 20 other technology companies, the Webnames.ca team built and raced a soap box car to raise money in support of the Canary Foundation. It was a huge success.
For those who don’t know, the Canary Foundation is a non-profit dedicated to the goal of identifying cancer early through a simple blood test and then isolating it with imaging.
The Webnames.ca derby car looked slick and we ran respectable times. Thanks to the larger-than-life efforts of Webnames.ca’s COO Cybele Negris, we were the top fundraiser for the event and beat our goal by more than two thousand dollars. Webnames.ca brought in more than $14,000!
Yesterday was one of those days where nobody knew what was in store. In the morning looked like it would rain. Thankfully the clouds lifted, then the sun came out and so did the crowds to cheer on the teams in Gastown. The spirit and participation were inspiring. Between the teams, sponsors, volunteers, supporters and enthusiastic passersby, Gastown was brimming with positive energy.
The races took place on Water Street, directly in front of our offices. The Webnames.ca Group were highly visible with their yellow t-shirts promoting how .TEL is set to revolutionize the way we keep in touch. It felt a little surreal at one point as I was walking up Water Street and saw a group of university students all wearing Webnames.ca t-shirts …
It was a great day to be a part of. I live with cancer every day. I lost my mother to cancer in 2000, my wife is a cancer survivor and then just a couple of months ago the disease took a good friend. I know that many of the people who lined Water Street yesterday were there in support friends or family members.
I want to thank the entire Webnames.ca team, but especially David Miller, Michael Maan and Hiroko Hasegawa who made an incredible effort to pull this together. Also, thank you to all our sponsors, donors, friends and families who made it such a great day for Webnames.ca!
Webnames.ca would like to acknowledge the following companies, organizations and individuals: McNeill Nakamoto Recruitment Group, Miles Employment Group,Canstar Mechanical, CB Richard Ellis, Reinvent Media Group and the Dot Asia Registry. Also Ripe B2B and Lotuswear for special donations of t-shirts. Finally a very special thank you to Lisa Palleson-Stallan owner of Lotuswear for rallying supporters from the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs. Many members of the FWE staff, board members and members not only donated generously to the cause but also attended and helped to cheer us on!
As for next year, I have two very, very enthusiastic drivers in training.
Photos (Top to Bottom): Cybele Negris & Miles; Hiroko Hasegawa, the derby car driver; Webnames.ca’s derby car; David Miller and Michael Maan prepping the derby car to race; Michael Maan.
