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Donovan Bailey for Pass the Baton Canada

The Oakville Community Foundation has partnered with the Donovan Bailey for Pass the Baton Canada, a campaign to raise funds for youth-focused charities and a brand new local sports scholarship.
Donavan Bailey and Canadian FLAG

The Oakville Community Foundation is proud to be a partner in the Donovan Bailey Pass the Baton Canada campaign to fundraise for youth charities and celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Donovan Bailey’s 100M Olympic gold medal on July 27, 1996, and the Men’s Gold in the 4x100M Olympic Relay on August 3, 1996, in Atlanta, Georgia.

The campaign consists of a series of virtual races from July 27 - August 3, 2021, that will raise important funds for national youth charities, specifically the Boys and Girls Clubs of CanadaBig Brothers and Big Sisters of Canada, as well as the Donovan Bailey Sports Excellence Award held at the Oakville Community Foundation.

Oakville-raised Donovan Bailey enjoys a more than 20-year relationship with the Oakville Community Foundation. The Donovan Bailey Sports Excellence Award is a newly established award that recognizes a high-performance athlete who upholds the values of good sportsmanship and fair play in any Olympic or Special Olympic sport. This scholarship is available to youth who have graduated or will graduate from an Oakville high school and only through The Foundation’s Community Education Awards Hub. For more information on the scholarship, click here.

“Twenty-five years ago, double gold in Atlanta. What a moment in time that was! And 25 years later, we celebrate this for one reason, and not because it is about the past, but rather because it is about the PRESENT – and the FUTURE – our future,” said Donovan Bailey. “I look around, and I see what Canada CAN be – should be – must be. And it starts with our youth. All youth.  Inclusive. Active. I have said on many occasions that everyone should do sports. It benefits not just the individual – one’s body and mind – but one’s soul. Pass the Baton Canada is a rallying call to all Canadians to be active – to get involved while raising funds benefiting youth charities across the nation.”

Throughout the pandemic, 62% of children and youth in Canada have been less physically active outdoors. Pass the Baton Canada is a nationwide health initiative that benefits both physical and mental health. The variety of events are appropriate for racers of all ages and abilities and include a 25K, a 10K, a 5K, a 1K and a 4x100M for any 4 people social bubble to participate in by walking, strolling, wheeling, biking, skateboarding and more.

“The Foundation will also be hosting Donovan on May 27th for a virtual discussion of his journey from an Oakville graduate to Olympic gold. It is an event to inspire local youth and this year’s crop of graduates,” said Wendy Rinella, CEO of The Foundation. Event registration details will be coming soon.

In partnership with VR Pro, The Foundation is excited to support this weeklong celebration of virtual race events with communities across the country at the same time as the Tokyo Summer Olympics. For more information and to register, go to www.passthebatoncanada.com.


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