Great fund raising journey begins in RR Rainy River

By Ken Johnston
Editor

To commemorate the 20th year of the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Ride for Heart in Toronto, the charity’s CEO Rocco Rossi decided to do some thing really big to mark the milestone. He chose to ride a bicycle 1,900 km down the longest street in the world, Yonge Street.
His journey began early last Wednesday morning in Rainy River when he and his road assistance man Ted Boyle kicked off the Ride Yonge - Stay Young fundraising drive.
For Rossi this adventure is monumental for more than one reason. Not only was he trying to raise $250,000 to put portable Automated External Cardiac Defribrillators (AED) in every community’s recreation centre/arena, but it involved him beating a fear he has had for decades.
As a teenager Rossi was hit by a drunk driver while cycling. While he was not critically injured, the emotional wounds kept him off a bicycle until just a few years ago. Now, at 45, he is cycling a vast distance, but he says it helps having Ted riding behind him in a support van. “It makes me feel safer having him there,” said Rossi last Wednesday.
His goal of $250,000 was helped dramatically when Richard Rooney of Burgandy Asset Management pledged matching dollars up to $100,000. “We have surpassed the $250,000 mark and are now hoping for $275,000 as I make my journey.”
While in Rainy River Rossi started spending that money announcing $22,500 for the Rainy River District to install five AEDs from Rainy River to Atikokan. Emo Reeve and paramedics supervisor for the area, Ed Carlson, said Emo already has two of them in their community. He noted that he has been in touch with the H&S Foundation and they are working on a priority list to have the new funding put to best use.
How did all this effort come about? Well Rossi, like a young boy named Chase McEachem, watched in disbelief when an NHL hockey player collapsed on the ice with a heart attack. He was saved by the teams AED. Chase, and 11 year old with a heart condition, wondered if he collapsed while playing hockey if he would be saved in his hometown arena. The answer was no.
He then wrote a letter to Don Cherry which he would read on Coach’s Corner on CBC, but it was too late for Chase. He had collapsed just a couple of weeks earlier. However, the letter would inspire a movement.
Rossi’s fundraising efforts will see all the money go to the Chase McEachem Tribute Fund for AEDs in Ontario.
Rossi was truly inspired by Chase and told the story to all those who were present at his send off last week.
He is hoping to make it to the other end of Yonge St. in time for the Ride for Heart on June 3rd and plans to do that ride which is the largest fundraising cycling event held on an annual basis in Canada.
Rossi is hoping to travel about 100 k.m. per day and has a progress report listed on the Canadian H&S Foundation’s website at www.heartandstroke.ca. He is writing a blog there and has also been equipped with a t.v. camera on his helmet from which clips can be seen on T.V. Latino’s website at tlntv.com.
Rossi said he came to the H&S Foundation three years ago after a life changing experience. “I was in Belgium as a senior executive with Labatts brewing. My friend and boss Don Kitchen and I made a great presentation to the board of directors there. We celebrated like any good beer company executive can. The next morning we were supposed to meet for breakfast. Don did not show up. He died of a massive coronary in his sleep. It changed my life.”
He said the H&S Foundation is not just a job, it is very close to his heart. His Ride Yonge - Stay Young campaign is the second big fundraiser he has done as CEO for H&S. Last year he kayaked from Ottawa to Toronto, some 480 km and raised $155,000 for H&S.
Rossi said that he is very grateful for the support shown by the public but most of all for the support of his wife and son. “I have been doing these (trips) on my vacation time, which leaves little time for family holidays. Their support means a lot to me.”
His road man, Ted Boyle, is also doing this on his own time. When asked if he thought Rocco was crazy taking this on he said, “Not at all. I wanted to help out and support this good cause.”
Rossi said that there are over 40,000 volunteers helping H&S every year. He structured the trip to visit as many of them as possible. “This is my way of honouring their contributions and pump up the troops!”