Springtime in North Bay is known for blackflies, shadflies and beautiful sunsets. This year, we are also experiencing some intense heat and thunderstorm cycles, great foliage and oddly warmer lakes! But rain or shine, shadflies or snowflakes, citizens and visitors can always participate in an amazing array of fundraisers and charity events which showcase a generous community spirit! Our TFP colleagues are no exception, always finding a way to give back or support local initiatives in a big way! We are very much invested in our community!
Thomson Financial Partners’ Assistant, Sara Ranger, husband Pierre, and their large extended family in Mattawa, have been on a mission to get Stop-Arm cameras on school buses ever since the tragic loss of 5 year old Adam Ranger. Sara sat down with me after their latest event to share a bit about their progress.
What major events does the Let’s Remember Adam Campaign host throughout the year?
Our largest annual fundraiser is the Let’s Remember Adam Washer Tournament & Prize Lot Raffle, which celebrated its 7th year on June 13. This event has become our signature fundraiser and provides essential funding to support our school bus safety awareness initiatives throughout the year. We raised over $19K at this years event!
As we move closer to the Christmas season, we host our ‘Fill the Bus’ Toy & Food Drive on Main Street in Mattawa. This year marks the 7th annual event, with all toys, food, and monetary donations benefiting the Mattawa & Area Food Bank. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, this event helps ensure local families have support during the holiday season.
We are also excited to be expanding our community outreach through two new initiatives. In partnership with Mattawa General Hospital, we are establishing Adam’s Pantry, which will provide comfort items such as stuffed animals, books, colouring books, and other small items to help children during their hospital visits.
In addition, we are working with the Mattawa & Area Food Bank to launch Adam’s Birthday Club, which will provide complimentary birthday cake kits to families in need, helping ensure every child has the opportunity to celebrate their special day.
What progress has been made toward getting stop-arm cameras on school buses in Ontario?
We continue to work closely with School Bus Ontario and government officials to advocate for mandatory stop-arm cameras on every school bus in Ontario as an industry safety standard. While we have not yet achieved this goal, we remain committed to moving the conversation forward and building support at every level of government.
We are also advocating for stronger penalties for motorists who illegally pass a stopped school bus displaying its flashing red lights and extended stop arm. We believe these offences should carry penalties comparable to Ontario’s stunt driving laws, reflecting the serious risk they pose to children.
One of our proudest accomplishments came in 2018, when we worked alongside MPP Vic Fedeli and MPP Mike Harris Jr. to successfully advocate for the implementation of the Amber-Red Eight Lamp Warning System on every school bus in Ontario. While this was a significant achievement, it also brought Ontario in line with a safety standard that had already been adopted by every other province in Canada.
Today, our greatest challenge is not convincing people that stop-arm cameras are needed—virtually everyone agrees they are. The challenge is getting municipalities and stakeholders to take the first step toward implementing the process.
We recognize that stop-arm camera footage alone does not automatically result in a fine. There is a necessary investigative and administrative process involved, and that comes with associated costs. However, we believe the more important question is: How many more children need to be injured or lose their lives before that investment is considered worthwhile? For our family, Adam was one too many. Our mission is to ensure no other family experiences the heartbreak that ours has endured.
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Sara isn’t the only one in our office who has been busy this Spring! Eric and Rob put down their calculators and picked up their clubs yet again for the One Kid’s Place Annual Golf for Kids Tournament early this June.  Also, with her team of Mrs. Roper lookalikes, Assistant Bev Maynard put DOWN her clubs, and instead feasted on all-you-can eat lobster at the Rotary Club of Nipissing’s Lobsterfest, their biggest event of the year, benefiting the Special Olympics Winter Games (which we are so proud to announce will be hosted in North Bay next Winter).
The 101 Assante Branch is an official sponsor of North Bay Special Olympics, and you will always see TFP team members out for events, competitions and fundraisers. One of the most uplifting events is the Annual Jack Lyons Regional Track and Field competition (now in its fifth year), which brings out athletes of all ages and abilities from all over Northern Ontario. The comradery and enthusiasm are contagious, and we look forward every year to seeing new personal-bests and some outstanding sportsmanship.
Earlier in the May, numerous 101 Assante and TFP team members were also seen out at the Annual Hometown Run fundraiser for Special Olympics. The Winrow family was at the halfway point handing out water and directing the runners along the route, and Julie’s son Marshall ran the 5K with some of the local Special Olympics athletes.
Shiv Mohan was happy to volunteer his time last weekend at the 2-day Kiwanis Club of Nipissing’s Triathlon. As a route marshal, Shiv made sure all runners and bikers were safe on the road, ensuring they got help if they encountered the dreaded Northern Ontario pothole, took a wrong turn, or wilted in the oppressive humidity. Mat Pepin joined the cheering section and watched some family and friends compete. Our amazing location featuring winding, hilly roads and crystal clear lakes make this event very popular, and the Saturday Kid’s Triathlon gets bigger every year.
We hope you enjoy the rest of your summer! For those of you in North Bay, we hope to see you out at the next community event, and for everyone else from out of town, we hope you will consider North Bay as a vacation destination some day (just make sure to pack according to the season: bug spray, sunscreen or parka!)
