TD Bank Charity Barbecue Has Competitive Edge

TD Bank Financial Group's drive to increase opportunities for people with physical disabilities in its workforce resulted last year in the inaugural TD Challenge Barbecue fund-raiser for Ontario March of Dimes in the TD Centre Courtyard. This year's event attracted more than 6,000 people, who paid $5 apiece for a lunch that included burgers, hotdogs and soft drinks. TD staff set up five barbecue stations in the courtyard. Employee teams operated the stations, vying with one another to generate the most sales. "It was very competitive," said TD Bank senior vice president David Fisher, who organized the fund-raiser. "Each station was required to raise at least $5,000."The teams chose themes for their food stations and decorated them accordingly. The FIFA World Cup station displayed an official game ball from a 2006 FIFA World Cup soccer match in Germany. Other themes in the event included casino, interactive sports, and Hawaiian (coincidentally, two teams chose a Hawaiian theme). For the second year, Gourmet Cuisine managed the catering logistics and ensured that health and safety bylaws were followed. "Coordinating the cooking of 6,000 burgers is a tall order, especially under the hot sun," said Fisher. "We had to be certain everything was done properly, from sanitization of the site to the food preparation, and Gourmet Cuisine is an expert in this area."

A raft of Canadian luminaries attended, including Canadian Idol host Ben Mulroney, Paralympic athlete Jeff Adams, hockey legend Ron Ellis, and former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Gord Stellick.

Coca-Cola, Frito Lay, and European Quality Meats and Sausages supported the benefit by supplying food products at a discount. Site landlord Cadillac Fairview donated the venue, audiovisual services, and custodial support. Fisher said the event netted more than $60,000.