John has been a supporter of Shine since 1994 when he first had the idea of raising funds through his Wendy’s franchises to support the dreams and brighten the futures of young people who needed them most. The first Wendy’s DreamLift Day was held on February 8, 1995 and involved John’s 4 Wendy’s franchises. All proceeds plus staff and management wages were donated to Shine to help brighten young futures, raising $10,500 in that first year. Today John has 9 franchises participating in Wendy’s DreamLift Days, and the most recent DreamLift Day brought the grand fundraising total to more than $1.1 million over 18 years.
“John’s initiative and drive, his dedication to Shine recipients and the generous contributions he has made to advance Shine's mission makes him a deserving recipient of this award,” states Pat DeMeester, President of the Shine Foundation’s National Board of Directors. ”John’s name will become part of Shine's proud history, along with other Shine champions who have shown exemplary leadership in making dreams come true for young people in their own communities and across Canada. As a volunteer-driven organization, it is important that we take time to recognize individuals such as John whose efforts inspire others to give of themselves,” explains Mr. DeMeester.
