Ledcor Cares

Did you know: autism is far more common than you think?

It is estimated that one in 68 children and more than 10,000 in British Columbia have autism. By sponsoring the 10th annual Fishing for Kids Tournament that took place this August, Ledcor helped raise an astounding total of $1 million to help enhance the lives of children living with autism and their families.

The sport fishing tournament is a yearly event held at the West Coast Fishing Club in Haida Gwaii where business and community leaders come together to make a meaningful impact through charitable giving.  Anglers compete against each other over the course of three days for the $200,000 grand prize - with the winner generously donating all of his/her winnings back to Canucks Autism Network (CAN), a non-profit organization that currently provides 375 year-round, high quality sports, recreational, and social programs for individuals and families living with autism in BC.

This year’s tournament set a record with a grand total of $1 million raised, surpassing last year’s total by $200,000.

In addition to serving as a major tournament sponsor, every year since 2007 Ledcor has sponsored a child who has faced illness or disability to participate in the tournament. Ledcor’s Champion Child for 2015 was 10-year old Owen Hilderley, a grade 4 student who attends Ecole Poirier Elementary School in Sooke, BC. 

Owen and his father Scott were thrilled with their invitation to the Fishing for Kids tournament. Scott had no idea what an incredible journey it would turn out to be for their family. Although Owen had trouble expressing just how special it was for them to friends and family, Scott shared a note of appreciation on behalf of his son and himself for the memorable experience. In a thank you letter to Ledcor, Scott wrote:

To begin the excursion, Owen was overwhelmed with anxiety, and I wasn't particularly sure how well he would fare.  We had trouble getting him into the reception at Reflections Lounge, but after much patient cajoling, we managed to coax him through the doors, and once there he was met with such kindness and compassion that he warmed up immediately.  

I'm not sure that I could sit down and draw up a better trip in terms of creating a father/son bonding experience while at the same time furthering the awareness of the impact of CAN programming.  Nor could I assemble a better group of people with whom to share the experience, particularly led by the wonderful folks at Ledcor. I can't begin to justly articulate how important it is to families like mine to feel that kind of support, and to benefit so much from those efforts.

The CAN programming has given Owen confidence and skills that he otherwise is not likely to have acquired. Those attributes have translated into the gifts of daily victories for Owen that we can celebrate. For that we are eternally grateful, and increasingly optimistic for his future. 

Ledcor is proud to be part of this initiative to spread awareness about autism and provide training in communities across British Columbia.