Corner Brook man invested into Order of N.L.
David Elms noted for charitable work, broadcasting career, mascot
David Elms recalls the example his parents, Ray and Josie, set for him all those years ago.
They ran a general store in St. Anthony and every year, they ordered in food for Christmas.
But Elms remembers one particular year, when he was probably in his early teens, that he truly appreciated the spirit of what they were doing.
“I noticed that dad had ordered in an extra load of turkeys,” he told West Coast Wire. “I said, ‘how are you going to sell all those?’ and he said, ‘no, no, no, the ones that we have to sell we’re going to sell, but these are going to be just little gifts that I’m going to give to our customers who are special to us and loyal to us.”
Elms and his father drove around the harbour, delivering a dozen or more free turkeys to customers.
“I came out of it thinking, ‘wow, that’s a pretty neat feeling to do something like that, just to give a little something back,’” he recalled.
That was just one example. Over the years, the way they continued to help people stuck with him.
“It was just for the sake of doing a good thing for somebody and that resonated with me down through the years,” he said.
Since moving to Corner Brook in 1978, he’s applied the lessons he learned from them.
For 23 years while he worked in radio, he made relationships with charities and people to help promote their initiatives.
“I had the opportunity … especially through the radio station. When I was working with CFCB, I was able to make contact with certain groups and individuals and if there was fundraising that was going on, then I could utilize my connection with the radio station to at least promote things that were happening and to help people,” he explained.
That spiralled into other volunteer efforts over the decades, for which Elms has now received the province’s highest honour. During a ceremony in St. John’s on Oct. 4, he was one of seven people invested into the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador. His wife, daughter and son accompanied him for the experience which he described as “incredible” and “surreal.”
“Just to know that I’m one of the 142 people who have received that honour, that’s pretty special,” he said.
While there, Elms says he thought back to all the people he has been associated with through the years and felt they deserved the honour as much as he does. He says one person who stands out is his wife Sandra.
“We’ve done everything together,” he said. “Our family together, work together, help out and do things together.”
LEIF THE LUCKY
Since 1993, Elms has been the face of Corner Brook Winter Carnival, embodying the spirit of carnival as its mascot, Leif the Lucky.
Leif the Lucky was a Viking character created by Bob McLeod in 1972 and became the carnival mascot when it started eight years later. Elms was asked by a carnival committee member whether he was interested in the role. With encouragement from his children, he took it on, not anticipating he’d be doing it for another 30 years.
It’s a role he still loves to perform. Breaking out of his snow hut for the ceremonial opening of Carnival is something he never tires of.
“The anticipation is there and it’s all built up and then, when I step out of that, beat my way out of that snow hut and stand in front of all these people, and look down and see little kids especially looking up at me like I’m some kind of superhero, man that feels pretty good,” said Elms.
In 2005, he and Sandra
“When I was working with CFCB, I was able to make contact with certain groups and individuals and if there was fundraising that was going on, then I could utilize my connection with the radio station to at least promote things that were happening and to help people.”
David Elms
created the annual Leifling Gala, where primary and elementary school children compete to become that year’s Leifling, accompanying him to various carnival events.
“We’ve talked to parents of children who went into this very timid, shy and withdrawn, not even sure if they wanted to be there, and then they said it was amazing how much it helped their character, their self-esteem and just wanting to get out and be a part of it more,” he said.
HIS CHARITY WORK
From 2005 to 2020, Elms was a host for the annual Janeway Children’s Miracle Network Telethon. He is also a former board member of the Janeway.
Elms explains at the time, the Janeway had reached out to him about becoming a member.
He says they had conversations about bringing the telethon to other areas of the province and being more on location on the west coast.
A full broadcast of the telethon on the west coast emerged, attracting support from people across the west coast, up the Northern Peninsula and into southern Labrador.
“The first time during the telethon we hit the $3-million mark … that feeling was so good,” he recalled.
Elms also served as a member of the organizing committee and master of ceremonies for the Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, which began in 2001.