Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) has wrapped its third annual #WEGcares Week, a celebration of the many valuable community organizations and causes that WEG supports as a strong civic partner, which contribute so much to the life, health and vibrancy of our neighbourhoods.

Sixteen charitable organizations from the Rexdale & Milton communities took part in the #WEGcares Week Charity Challenge.

As part of the “Charity Challenge,” hosted at wegcares.ca, racing fans & community members were able to place their vote to help their favourite charitable organization collect a portion of a $10,000 prize pool.

WEG is pleased to announce the first place winner of the 2016 Charity Challenge is Youth Without Shelter. Youth Without Shelter, Etobicoke’s singular emergency residence and referral agency serving homeless youth aged 16-24, won a $7,500 donation.

“Thank you to the Woodbine Entertainment Group for making a committed investment in youth potential through the WEG Cares Charity Challenge,” said Nilda Patey, Executive Director, Youth Without Shelter. “Winning first place and $7,500 in the WEG Cares Charity Challenge enables Youth Without Shelter (YWS) to develop personalized strategies to successfully transition youth to independence.

“The donation will make possible journeys out of homelessness like this youth: ‘I am the impact of donations to the shelter. What I have achieved would not have been possible without all those who support YWS.’ (a former Youth Without Shelter resident who is now a public health nurse),” Ms. Pitey said.

The Charity Challenge runner-up was The Racetrack Chaplaincy of Canada (both Standardbred & Thoroughbred) winning a $2,500 donation from WEG. The Chaplaincies provide support the emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of the racing community.

The week of celebration kicked off at the 18th Annual Turf Races, which raised over $12,000 in support of the United Way Toronto & York Region. This event brings employees & their families, community members, and sponsors out for a fun morning at the racetrack with a series of races on the world-renowned E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

#WEGcares week also involved a celebration of the harvest and the first year of the Community Food Garden at Woodbine Racetrack. The garden, led by Canadian charity Evergreen, and supported by WEG, Airtron Canada, and Telus provides families in need with access to fresh, local, and healthy food. The project also provides hand-on education helping to build the capacity of individuals and groups to overcome immediate and long term challenges surrounding food insecurity.

WEG will continue its charitable efforts by hosting the Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer in support of the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation on October 1. Two teams of WEG employees will be participating with the goal of raising $20,000 for the Princess Margaret. Employees are embodying the spirit of #WEGcares and have been raising money through events including bake sales and car washes.

(with files from WEG. Photo above: (l. to r.) Poonam Saini (YWS), Judy Leroux (YWS), Jessica Buckley (WEG), Emily Mallin (WEG) and Jim Lawson (WEG) pose for a picture at the #WEGcares Appreciation dinner.)