Calgarians honoured for spirit of giving
Love versus hate, hope versus despair, courage versus fear.
In every life there comes at least one crisis when we have to choose between the light and the dark. For Colton Lewis, that time came far too early.
At age 20, he was fighting for his life in a Calgary hospital, suffering from six stab wounds inflicted by a stranger. Yet there was little struggle when it came to what side he wanted to be on.
“There was no time for hate in our hearts,” Lewis says of that day in early 2013, when he woke to learn that while he had barely survived a surprise attack at a house party a week earlier, his close friend and fellow University of Calgary student Brett Wiese had died from his injuries.
“We needed to rally around something, we needed to fill our hearts with love,” says Lewis.
Even while undergoing several months of rehabilitation, Lewis, now 24, quickly put his beliefs into action. With the help of his family, Wiese’s family and friends, he managed to raise more than $200,000 to form the Brett Wiese Memorial Scholarship at the University of Calgary.
Lewis, a fine young man whose story I have been privileged to share with Herald readers on two previous occasions, is not the attention-seeking sort. On Tuesday, though, he finds himself under the spotlight at the 20th annual Calgary marking of National Philanthropy Day, the recipient of the award for Youth Philanthropist at its Generosity of Spirit awards ceremony.
The awards luncheon, hosted by the Calgary and area chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, annually recognizes local citizens who, its press materials say, “give of their hearts, of their minds and of their resources to make Calgary a great city and a great community.” On this day, more than 800 community leaders, charitable types and corporate donors have crammed the BMO Centre at Stampede Park for the special occasion.
Over the course of the twohour event, several awards are given out to corporations, community groups and individuals who fulfil those requirements.
While the story of Lewis — who is accompanied by his parents, Chris and Ilana Lewis, as well as Brenda and Jody Wiese, Brett’s parents — is the most emotional one of the day, there are more that bring many in the audience to tears.
Don Adamson, who survived burns to half his body after a propane tank explosion, talks about the effect the Calgary Firefighters Burn Treatment Society (Outstanding Philanthropic Group) has had on survivors like him, thanks to its raising of more than $8 million for such initiatives as the Foothills Hospital’s state-ofthe-art burn treatment centre.
Adamson says he recalls telling the firefighters that, “you saved my life — I won’t waste it.”
Then there are the heartfelt words of a young Calgary mom, who thanks Peters & Company Ltd. (Small Business Philanthropist) for its funding to the Alberta Children’s Hospital that resulted in her son being properly diagnosed and treated for a rare condition. Like Colton Lewis, the other individuals being celebrated on this day admit to being uncomfortable in the spotlight.
Pat and Bob Steele (Outstanding Philanthropic Family) see their work helping such organizations as the Association for the Rehabilitation of the Brain Injured as reward in itself.
“The way we look at it, if there’s somewhere we see a need,” Bob Steele shyly tells event co-host Dave Kelly, “we just keep our mouths shut and kick it into gear.”
Then there’s Suzanne West, the Doc Seaman Individual Philanthropist for 2016, who came up with an innovative way to raise funds for local charity Inn From the Cold.
On her birthday each year, she spends nine hours at the Crescent Road staircase, running up and down. She invites Calgarians to join her, pledging on their behalf $1 to charity for each flight of stairs climbed.
“It’s my favourite day of the year,” she explains with a laugh of the fundraiser that this year raised $30,000. “It’s so inspiring to see people give pain in service to other human beings.”
Mike and Linda Shaikh, who gracefully accept the Lifetime Achievement Philanthropist award, have given their time and money over the decades to such organizations as Calgary Urban Project Society and the Calgary Public Library.
“Learn, earn and return,” Mike says is the mantra his father taught him and one he took to heart.
“Success, for me, is definitely beyond money and things,” says Linda. “It’s being part of a rich and growing community, being embraced by the community and being able to contribute and grow together.”
Choosing love over hate, hope over despair and courage over fear — while they come from all walks of life, it’s the one thing Colton Lewis and his fellow 2016 Spirit of Giving award recipients share, in a time Calgarians need it most.