East End Adventure to celebrate community, raise funds for Michael Garron Hospital

By JESSICA SHACKLETON 

Michael Garron Hospital is inviting the neighbourhood to come out for the very first East End Adventure this month. It’s a fundraiser, scavenger hunt, Amazing Race, choose-your-own-adventure style competition that can be done for fun or to win.  

Mary Cranston is Vice President, Annual, Events and Operations at the Michael Garron Hospital Foundation, and is one of the organizers of the East End Adventure.

“We fundraise to serve our community and serve the folks in the east end and beyond who access our services in the best way possible,” she said. “So when we were thinking about what to do, we really wanted to have something that was accessible for people in the community, both in the hospital and outside the east end.” 

Located on Coxwell Avenue in East York, Michael Garron Hospital puts a large focus on mental health and wellness in the East Toronto community it serves and is known as the “hospital with no walls.” 

According to a report by Toronto Foundation called Vital Signs, Torontonians are less civically engaged, lonelier, and struggling with mental health. This was, of course, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the calls to action by the Toronto Foundation to help residents overcome these challenges included promoting ways for people to get to know their neighbours. The Michael Garron Hospital Foundation ran with that idea in coming up with the East End Adventure.

“What we wanted to do was provide an opportunity, create an event for our neighbours to buck the trend of that report. Because it’s a natural tie-in with our focus on wellness and mental health, and we want to be working for and with the community,” said Cranston. “We thought this event would be a good concept.” 

In the East Adventure, participants will get to engage with their community while raising funds for the local hospital. It’s also a chance to show some pride in and help promote neighbourhoods, businesses and places within the community. And participants get to do this at an in-person event with other residents sharing a common cause.

“People in this neighbourhood, when you walk around, feel real ownership of the place,” said Cranston. “It’s a really neat place.” 

In-person fundraising events are often more effective because people feel fantastic when they come together to do something, especially for such an important cause, said Cranston.

Participants in the East End Adventure can expect stops at local businesses, a fire station and a library.

 “All sorts of community organizations are involved because we want people to see that it’s not just for Michael Garron, that we all depend on each other in this area,” said Cranston. “It’s the same in all of Toronto, and we want them to feel the connection.” 

The East End Adventure will take place on Saturday, Oct. 18. It starts and ends at Monarch Park (115 Felstead Ave.) and will include an awards ceremony, barbecue, and festival. The adventure will begin with participants checking in at 10 a.m. and will continue through the day, with prize presentations slated to start at 3 p.m.

To register and for more information, please visit: https://mghf.akaraisin.com/ui/eastendadventure