A Look Inside Holland Bloorview’s Summer Car Meet

The Meet

On July 22, over 25 exotic cars gathered in the hospital’s parking lot for clients and families to enjoy. It was the first of what will hopefully become an annual event.

The idea stemmed from Robyn, one of the hospital’s dedicated life skills coaches who was looking for a way to increase awareness of Holland Bloorview and also create a memorable experience for families.

Robyn’s husband, Val, is a member of a couple of exotic car groups. “My husband knows how meaningful my work is, along with my passion for working with the youth that we serve. As supporters of Capes for Kids, my husband encourages his work colleagues to support my team. Being able to introduce another community to Holland Bloorview, especially one with an interest in fundraising and potentially providing an exclusive experience, seemed like a good fit.” 

Coincidentally, shortly after brainstorming possible fundraisers, Robyn bumped into one of La Corsa Rally’s co-founder, Azeem Sheikh, who suggested they connect to create an event for Holland Bloorview. It was a perfect match!

Finally in July, on a sunny Saturday morning, the cars rolled up at Holland Bloorview. Both folks on and off site were able to check out and chat about the unique vehicles.

“The event was a good chance for the car owners to learn about Holland Bloorview and increase their awareness of the hospital.” As a staff member with the Employment Pathways programs, which provide critical early work experiences, as well as skills training, career mentoring and coaching for high-school aged youth with disabilities, Robyn understands the importance of fundraising for the hospital. Many of these employment programs rely solely on donations, which is why Robyn feels so strongly about raising funds.

Celebrating Staff Champion: Robyn

Robyn is so passionate about her work and the hospital. She started out as a therapeutic recreation specialist working with inpatients and now works on the Employment Pathways team, coordinating programs for outpatients to develop and enhance their work life skills. 

When we asked her about her job and spending more than a decade at the hospital, here’s what she had to say:

“There are so many things that I love about my job. Being able to be a part of an organization that continues to be passionate about breaking down barriers and pushing for equality in all areas is a really rewarding place to be and makes the impact of the work all the more meaningful. And of course working with such a dedicated and talented team makes for an incredibly supportive and enjoyable work environment.” 

“Over the years I’ve been fortunate to watch clients graduate through Holland Bloorview’s various programs. It’s particularly fulfilling to see exactly how our programs benefit the clients. From the excitement when a client masters new skills, realizes their capabilities, to seeing increased independence and confidence, it’s always amazing to hear from families about the difference it’s all made in their young person’s life.” 

“Likewise, hearing from parents who were unsure of what the future would hold for their child and then seeing them discover their youth's talents and interests makes everything so much better. There is research supporting the benefits of having youth with disabilities in the workforce and I’m hoping to get that word out there!”