Superfan a fundraising dynamo
Here's how things sometimes go for Bob Shanks: Back when we weren't social distancing, he was at a bus stop, heading to his job at Windsor Plywood, when former Vancouver Canucks goalie Kirk McLean spotted him, drove up and offered him a ride to work.
Here's why things like that can happen to Shanks: He is a one-man power play of a fundraiser for the Canucks Autism Network (CAN), having brought in $250,000 in donations since 2012.
Shanks, a 29-year-old who's on the autism spectrum, has met various Canucks through his efforts for CAN, and counts McLean among his favourites. The CAN office threw Shanks a party when he reached $100,000 in donations and McLean was among the guests. Shanks also interviewed McLean for Shanks' Classically Fresh blog.
McLean dropping him off at work “was the talk of the day,” Shanks says.
McLean and Dave Babych were among the first Canucks past or present that Shanks met when he went to the CAN Family Festival in 2012. Shanks heard about CAN through his sister, Diana, who knew someone in the group. Being a massive sports fan, Shanks was intrigued.
He has managed to garner some bigger-dollar donations over the years, but the majority of his fundraising has come in $5, $10 and $20 increments. He's hosted pub nights. He's run hockey pools. He's gone door to door. Through that, he's routinely been CAN's top individual fundraiser for major events like the Family Festival and the CAN Pro-Am Hockey Tournament.
“I've got to be honest: The kids are what drives my bus,” Shanks said. “When you can support kids and families living with autism, it's all worth it. To see the smiles on their faces and their jubilation is really something.”
Shanks has spearheaded putting a team in the CAN Pro-Am, drafting former Canucks centre Brendan Morrison to be on the squad the past two times, and it sounds like it could happen a third time. Morrison, as Shanks says, “is a class-act guy.”
Shanks is a fan of assorted former and current Vancouver players. He's such a fan of the team that he even has a blue Canucks suit with logos all over it. But there are other squads and sports he supports, too. Shanks' brother Joey played football for the UBC Thunderbirds, which led to Shanks backing teams at the school, most notably coach Kevin Hanson's men's basketball side. Shanks has been known to go to games involving Hanson's team with three Steve Nash jerseys, wearing a different one for each of the first three quarters before picking the one he felt the team played the best with for the fourth quarter.
“Here's someone who has a true appreciation of sport. He just loves being around it,” Hanson said.
“I think it's helped him find that competitiveness within him, and he's taken that competitiveness and put it towards his cause, which is raising money to help people.
“You can't help but love the kid. He genuinely cares about other people. He's a wonderful human being.”
Hanson has offered Shanks a chance to be an assistant coach for a night when he's hit a fundraising goal. The T-Birds are 3-0 on those evenings, Hanson reports.
Shanks has also suggested that he could spend time at those games working the crowd for donations for CAN. That fits with the rest of this tale.
“On nights where he's being honoured, he's still trying to find ways to help other people,” Hanson said.
And Shanks is far from finished lending a hand. He's taking aim at getting to $350,000 now. (In case you're so inclined, you can get to his fundraising page via canucksautism.ca/bobshanks)
That last sentence, we would be remiss not to mention, is with Shanks' approval.
“I believe we should support the kids,” he reiterated.
Britt Andersen is the CAN CEO and says that in his 15 years working for various non-profit groups, he's never met anyone like Shanks.
“He has this pure passion. He's relentless, but does it in the sweetest and nicest way,” said Andersen, who had been the executive director of the Terry Fox Foundation before joining CAN in June 2019. “I've never seen Bob without a smile on his face, a positive attitude and a bundle of enthusiasm.
“In many respects, what Bob has solidified ... is that you don't need to be rich to be a fundraiser. You don't need friends with super-deep pockets. Every small donation adds up. He's an inspiration for all of us.”
CAN was founded in 2008, and lists its mission: “To provide programs for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families, while promoting acceptance and inclusion through training and community engagement.”
It has a membership base of more than 5,000 across B.C.
I've got to be honest: The kids are what drives my bus. When you can support kids and families living with autism, it's all worth it.