WW28 donates $25,000 to Diabetes Canada

On Wednesday, April 13, prior to the Owen Sound Attack game versus the Barrie Colts, Mark Woolley proudly presented Diabetes Canada with a $25,000 donation.

The donation is Woolley’s second donation since launching Woolley’s Warriors in September 2019. Following over $40,000 raised and donated through the initiative’s first two years, Woolley and WW28 have now surpassed over $65,000 despite challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

WW28 began with the goal of sending kids to D-Camps and ultimately connecting those living with diabetes through sharing Woolley’s personal story, while also building a platform for others to share. Now an Ontario Hockey League overager, Woolley was originally diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 12 after his older brother Matt had also been diagnosed at birth. Woolley continues to meet and connect with diabetic youth and young athletes in addition to his fundraising efforts.

Part of Woolley’s fundraising included partnering with the Attack on the second annual Woolley’s Warriors Night held on February 26. The event raised over $19,500, incredibly surpassing the inaugural WW28 Night’s efforts of $2,500 raised and 10 wardrobe-sized boxes of clothing and household items in November 2019.

On hand for the presentation was Diabetes Canada’s Community Engagement Coordinator Lindsay Wig, who has been an exceptional support of WW28.

Most notably, the overwhelming success of WW28 would not have been possible – specifically following the last two years – without the support of so many who donated both financially and through genuine support.

“At the start of this season, if you would have told me we would have had a WW28 Night that raised almost $20,000, only to follow it up with a $25,000 donation this year, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Woolley reflected. “I remember when WW28 first started – we had a goal of being able to send a few kids to camp, and now seeing how far we come and the impact we’ve been able to have is truly amazing. I can’t thank each and every person who has shown us such strong support enough for making this possible.”

ABOUT DIABETES CANADA

Diabetes Canada works tirelessly to advocate for and support Canadians living with diabetes with helpful resources, education, research, and more. We’re Canada’s source for facts about diabetes care, prevention, and finding a cure.

Connect with Woolley’s Warriors on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

WW28 Night raises over $19,600 for Diabetes Canada

On Saturday, February 26, Woolley’s Warriors, in partnership with the Owen Sound Attack, hosted the second WW28 Night at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre. The night, complete with custom game worn WW28 jerseys auctioned off in support of the cause, raised a total of $19,620.40. All proceeds raised from the night are in support of Diabetes Canada.

The game worn WW28 jerseys, made possible through the Attack’s generosity, were a big hit, raising over $10,000 of the night’s proceeds in a week-long silent auction. The generosity extended right through to the fans in the building, while with only 50 per cent capacity, donated an incredible $4255 through the night’s Bucket Pass alone.

The infamous Chuck-A-Puck and Silent Auction on the concourse were also big contributors to the night’s success.

“It was obviously a very special night for my family and I, along with everybody else involved. I never would have imagined we would have raised as much as we did with everything else going on in the world right now,” Mark Woolley, founder of WW28 and Attack captain, shared. “A big thank you to everybody who makes WW28 possible and especially to the fans who show their continuous support for such a great cause. I’m very grateful I am able to use my platform in the OHL to do my part and try and make a difference in the community.”

The first WW28 Night was held back in November 2019, a few short months after the launch of Woolley’s Warriors. The inaugural event raised over $2,500 and collecting 10 boxes filled of items for Diabetes Canada. Raising almost eight times more this time around proved to almost justify the wait, which came in the form of postponements in 2020 due to COVID-19. 

The night proved to be just as exciting on the ice, with the Attack and the visiting Guelph Storm facing off in an eventual overtime thriller. The Attack emerged with the two points thanks to Sam Sedley netting the winner for a 3-2 final on the board.

Woolley’s Warriors extends a gracious thank-you to all the volunteers, the entire Attack organization, and the fans for making the night such a success – without all of the incredible support received, none of WW28’s efforts would be possible.

Connect with Woolley’s Warriors on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Lace Up for Diabetes with Mark Woolley

On September 27th, join Mark Woolley, Diabetes Canada, and thousands of Canadians in raising awareness and funds with Lace Up for Diabetes! The virtual event encourages participants to complete a virtual 10K – anyway you want! Walk, run, bike, roll, dance… do it your way. Participants are welcome to move through the kilometres in two hours, two days, or two weeks. It’s your 10k! Do it your way.

Help #EndDiabetes and join Mark on your own or as a team!

For more information on the Lace Up For Diabetes event, click here.

To help support the Woolley’s Warriors Lace Up for Diabetes team, visit the WW28 team page here.

Connect with Woolley’s Warriors on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

SERVPRO of Guelph donates $590 to WW28 for Kirwin’s 59 point season

WW28 supporter Barret Kirwin accepts the donation from SERVPRO of Guelph owner Keith MacLeod.

SERVPRO of Guelph pledged $10 for every point recorded by Owen Sound Attack forward Barret Kirwin in support of Woolley’s Warriors, donating a total of $590 on the season. In 62 games throughout the 2019-20 campaign, Kirwin potted 30 goals and 29 assists for 59 points for the Attack.

WW28 would like to extend a big thank-you to SERVPRO of Guelph and owner Keith MacLeod for the generous contribution as Woolley’s Warriors continues to assist the ongoing efforts of Diabetes Canada, and to Kirwin for being a significant supporter right from the very start.

SERVPRO of Guelph:

SERVPRO of Guelph is a trusted leader in the residential and commercial restoration industry. We understand the stress and worry that comes when fire or water damage strikes. Our goal is to help minimize the interruption to your life and quickly make it “Like it never even happened.”

Connect with Woolley’s Warriors on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Mark Woolley receives Owen Sound Attack’s Red Leckie Award

Owen Sound Attack / AttackHockey.com

Mark Woolley is this year’s winner of the Red Leckie Award for the Largest Contribution to the Community & Organization.

Woolley began the year by launching his ‘Woolley’s Warrior’s’ foundation, a non-profit dedicated to raising awareness and support for children living with Type-1 Diabetes. Began with a modest goal of raising money to send children to D-Camp, Woolley’s Warriors took off and by the end of the season raised over $40,000. Full details of Mark’s charity work with Woolley’s Warriors can be found here.

The blueliner from St. Thomas, ON went beyond just raising money, and he invited many ‘Warriors’ with Type 1 Diabetes to attend Attack games and meet with the defenseman afterwards to discuss coping with the disease and how to still live a successful life. Mark was also part of many charity efforts in the community, school visits with the Canadian Mental Health Association and always one of the first to volunteer for events.

Head Coach Alan Letang says: “Mark brings the exact same passion he has on the ice as he does off. He’s a player that comes to the rink everyday wanting to get better and help people around him get better. Off the ice his leadership & selflessness shows by his commitment to Woolley’s Warriors. He’s the perfect example of what our organizations values and the kind of culture we want to build in Owen Sound.”

Mark Woolley is an incredible member of the community and the Attack are proud to honour him with the Red Leckie Award. Last year, the award was shared between Carter Robertson and Andrew MacLean while Ethan Szypula took home the honour in 2018.

Visit attackhockey.com for more.

Connect with Woolley’s Warriors on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.