Amazing volunteer effort

Local volunteers extraordinaire Bill and Andrea Bates have been fundraising for the Multiple Sclerosis Society and participating in their bike tours for seven years, raising over $100,000 in the process. 

Last year, the pair raised $28,000 and were honored by the Ontario Division of the MS Society with The Certificate of Merit-Fundraising.

“This year, our target is $40,000,” says Bill, “and we are already over halfway there. All of our fundraising is done in this area. We are not professional fundraisers—Andrea and I both work full time and spend our summer weekends getting money a loonie at a time.” 

On Easter Sunday, the Bates held a fundraising BBQ at the Meadowvale Wal-Mart and Wal-Mart added $2000 for a grand total of $6035.

“This is the third year that we have run such an event at the store,” says Bill, “and Wal-Mart has contributed over $5000 to MS research in that time.”

Over 85,000 Canadians suffer from MS.