Grinding for a Good Cause
Colliers SVP Tom Andrews never expected the Grouse Grind climbs he did with a few pals a decade ago would eventually become such a big deal, turning into a fundraiser for three causes. So he's chuffed that this years' event— which raised money for MS Society Society of Canada, ALS Society of Canada, and Canadian Cancer Society—drew 65 climbers from as far as Montreal. It was a record showing, Tom tells us, and the $72k raised was more than double the best total in previous years. The event's a big draw for the hospitality industry. The Coast Hotel team is pictured here ascending (from left): Joshua Carampatana, Robert Pratt, Jeremy Poster, Caitlynn Schell, and Alex Tielker.
Tom (pictured right with International Hotels Group's Stuart Laurie) says most event participants have had family and friends suffer from the diseases they're raising money to combat. Laurie and GE Capital SVP Ed Khediguian gathered $60k in donations between the two of them. And while Tom maintains the event is more about fun than peak performances, for the record, 19-year-old Tyler Laurie did the Grind in a mere 34 minutes. Some of the older fellas got trekking an hour early, Tom says, so they could arrive around the same time as the rest.
