KITCHENER —
In an evening filled with bravado, boasts, and a lot of stare downs, one moment stood out at The Brawl Weigh In at Porsche Centre Kitchener Waterloo.
Red Team boxer Michelle Clark stood amongst her teammates as a video played for the over 175 people and 800 people watching at home on the livestream. In the video, Michelle shared how her son Lincoln had been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at 12 days old, and how the team at McMaster Children’s Hospital have been there to support and care for Lincoln and her family ever since.
“They’re always so welcoming, so nice, so personable. I’ve always said that they’re like family there. We’re there every three months, sometimes even more than that, for almost 12 years. We love them,” Michelle said.
Champions for Charity documentary director Nima Latifpour, clearly choked up at the moment, told Michelle she was a hero.
“The kids at McMaster are heroes. All the people working there, they’re the heroes,” Michelle replied through tears.
After the video, Champions for Charity founder Mandy Bujold presented Lincoln with his own champion belt in recognition of his battle.
“Thank you so much for sharing your story, for opening your home, for sharing your mom for the last 16 weeks, and for just showing us what it means to be a true champion,” Mandy said to Lincoln as he took the stage.
That’s what Champions for Charity is all about. 20 people with little to no boxing experience have spent the last 16 weeks training, sweating, bleeding, and fundraising for McMaster Children’s Hospital and the Waterloo Region Health Network Foundation.
“The weigh-in brings the energy and excitement of boxing, but the purpose behind it is what truly matters. Every dollar raised is helping support critical care for kids and families in our community,” Mandy Bujold said.
With the energy pumping throughout the room, Mandy had a few more announcements before the fighters took the stage. Last year, Champions for Charity raised over $700,000 for its charity partners.
It was a record that was destined to be broken.
The Blue and Red Teams have personally raised over $597,000 — with three of the fighters breaking Champions for Charity records.
Blue Team’s Dan Nagle has raised over $51,000.
Red Team’s Paul Bostajian has raised over $69,000.
Impressive numbers, but it was fellow Blue Team fighter Craig Seibel’s effort that knocked out the crowd.
With just over a week until The Brawl at Tapestry Hall, Craig has raised an impressive $143,000.
“I love putting our effort and skills to a good cause,” Craig said.
But that wasn’t the end of the record breaking announcements.
Thanks to a $100,000 donation matching commitment from AIM Recycling Kitchener, this year’s Champions for Charity has raised over $1,000,000 for MacKids.
“To raise over $1 million in a single year is incredible. It speaks to the power of what can happen when a community rallies around a shared purpose,” Mandy said. “This milestone belongs to our entire community. Our sponsors, partners, and champions have all played a role in making this possible, and it’s their commitment that continues to drive real impact for children and families at McMaster Children’s Hospital.”
After the record announcements, MC and 107.5 Dave Rocks host Jaimie Harrison brought each bout’s fighters to the stage for some jests and a little smack talk. But through each interview, one thing was clear — the purpose hits harder than the punch.
“There are causes worth putting yourself fully into, and when you come together with a bunch of people with a common goal, you really can accomplish more than you can on your own,” said Team Red fighter Mitch Wilson.
You can watch the full livestream of The Brawl Weigh In here: https://www.youtube.com/live/OtY_U-m4CTA?si=2ztdTy06k2Tiejvg
