ON TRACK TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Olympian Mcbride calls giving back `part of my duty'
You can expect to hear more about Windsor's Brandon McBride next year as the Olympic Games draw near.
For now, the Canadian record holder in the men's 800 metres is trying to use his name to help others in his hometown.
“If I can use my status to help people, then that's what I want to do,” the 26-year-old Mcbride said. “Especially with the Olympics coming up. I'm going to get a lot of exposure and a lot of organizations willing to help, and I want to redirect that towards the up-and-coming youth because that's our future in Windsor.”
It started in the spring when the COVID-19 pandemic settled in and Mcbride saw people in the city hurting. He took more than $1,000 in sponsorship money he received from Adidas and turned it into grocery gift cards to distribute to families.
“It was nothing big, but it made a big difference,” said Mcbride, who was spurred on by girlfriend Yesmina Captan. “As long as we can help, if it's one family or one person, that's all we wanted to do.
“You always hear rumours about this person struggling or that person struggling or losing their job. When I got the payment from Adidas, I said I should try to make a difference. I felt I needed to do it and I wanted to do it. It's part of my duty to give back to my community because so much has been given to me.”
Since then, the Herman high school product has created the non-profit Mcbride Youth United Association. Presently, he's working to collect winter coats for children connected to nine organizations.
“We're providing (new) coats and also receiving gently used coats,” Mcbride said. “It's been amazing.
“At first, we were just starting out and wanted to raise 100 coats. Adidas gave us 50 coats, we got another 50 coats, and all of a sudden we already had 100 coats, and then I wanted to give 40-50 myself.”
The drive wraps up on Monday with distribution beginning next month, but Mcbride said there's still time to donate. Anyone interested can call 226-212-2591 or contact the organization via Inst agra mat M cb ride youth united, the organization' s website at Mcbrideyouthunited.ca, over Twitter @Mcbrideyouth, or on Facebook at facebook.com/ M cb ride youth united.
“We're just building a rapport with the community,” Mcbride said.
With the 2021 Olympic Games set for July in Tokyo, next year will be a big one for Mcbride as he tries to secure a spot on the Canadian team for the second time in his career.
However, Mcbride also plans to keep busy expanding his non-profit organization with Captan and Katya Chehade.
“With a non-profit, I thought it was going to be simple,” said Mcbride, who broke Gary Reed's Canadian record in 2018 with a time of 1:43.20 in the 800 metres.
“Luckily, I was reading this book on entrepreneurship. One of the first things I did was hire a lawyer to create a not-for-profit charity and receive charity status. I'm very thankful I hired a lawyer.”
An NCAA indoor champion and outdoor champion at Mississippi State University in the men's 800 metres, Mcbride also earned his degree in business administration and is working on his master's in business, which he feels will help with creating youth programs he wants to offer.
“It's just certain programs that aren't taught in school,” Mcbride said.
“With at-risk youth, it's almost like they're missing. We just feel we would be able to make a huge difference.”
Mcbride wants youth in the area to be exposed to programs that will help them get ahead in life. With his business degree, he wants to help teach financial management while also providing other programs like proper interview skills.
“I want to help up-and-coming children and youth learn about these barriers,” Mcbride said. “I feel like people aren't taught a lot about how to handle money, and life revolves around financial management, no matter what you do.”
So, while he shoots for the podium in Japan, Mcbride will also be running to make a difference at home.
“It doesn't impact my training at all,” Mcbride said. “I have a strict schedule. If anything, I'm going to use athletics and being a high-level athlete to bring in funding and use that status.
“If I can impact even 25 children, that could be 25 families potentially in a better position from what I've done. Hopefully, we can keep the momentum going for the next while and make a change in Windsor.”
It was nothing big, but it made a big difference. As long as we can help ... that's all we wanted to do.