BOSTON PIZZA
CHUCK MAGNUS & TEAM FINN
PROFILES of EXCELLENCE
Team Finn, Realtor Chuck Magnus and Boston Pizza make pink the new black in their growing fundraising program.
Finn is described as a boy who lived with cancer, not a boy who died from cancer, yet since his passing in late 2008, Finn has continued to bring people together to raise funds for pediatric cancer research.
Team Finn began in 2009 with Finn’ s Dad, Patrick Sullivan, and close friends cycling in the Ride to Conquer Cancer in Finn’ s honour. The team has grown exponentially since then, embracing the support and fundraising passion of Boston Pizza and Surrey realtor Chuck Magnus.
“ I just got involved about a year ago,” said Chuck who operates out of Re / Max Little Oak Realty in Surrey.“ You’ d know us if you saw us – we wear jerseys in Finn’ s favourite colour – pink – covered with the words run, jump, bounce, dance, sing, love, smile and ride.”
For Chuck, joining Team Finn was a happy coincidence. Not long after deciding to participate in the two day Ride to Conquer Cancer, Chuck’ s long-time friend Dan MacEachern( franchisee of the Newton Boston Pizza), contacted him to see if he would be interested in joining Team Finn. Chuck immediately became a strong supporter of the Team Finn Foundation.
“ I am able to talk to supporters and show my genuine excitement in raising funds for pediatric cancer research,” Chuck noted.
Dan’ s participation with Team Finn evolved from the Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospect’ s partnership with the organization.
“ The goals and objectives of the Team Finn Foundation line up perfectly with those of the Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects,” said Cheryl Treliving, the foundation’ s Executive Director.
According to Cheryl, the relationship with Team Finn has grown organically.
“ The Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects wants to support groups doing work on a national basis,” she noted.“ We also want to work with people who are positive role models. We achieve that with Patrick and Team Finn.”
“ In 2008, I was told the worst thing a parent can hear,” Patrick said.“ Since that time, Team Finn has been on a mission to change that story, to create a new ending. This partnership with Boston Pizza, nationally and now locally, gives us the opportunity to do that faster.”
While national support from Boston Pizza started when Team Finn began, last year, Dan and Chuck got involved when it became obvious that local support would be a huge benefit.
“ The Boston Pizza Foundation Future prospects asked me to find ways to get Team Finn rippled out to all of our restaurants,” Dan said.“ I’ m thrilled to see this grow. Imagine all the ways we can contribute to pediatric cancer research by providing support at the restaurants. We hope that every one of our locations in the Lower Mainland will have 25 or more riders [ in the Ride to Conquer Cancer from Team Finn ] and we will help every one of them raise funds.”
“ It’ s okay for adults to be a three-year-old once in a while,” Patrick noted.“ Embrace these moments as they come to you. We’ ve been working with Boston Pizza for six years and whether nationally or locally, they get that.”
Find out more about the Team Finn Foundation and have Boston Pizza’ s support by connecting at teamfinn. com or liking the Team Finn Foundation page on Facebook.
“ You’ d know us if you saw us – we wear jerseys in Finn’ s favourite colour – pink – covered with the words run, jump, bounce, dance, sing, love, smile and ride.” – Chuck Magnus
Come and join the Ride with the Boston Pizza / Team Finn Team!
WEB TEAMFINN. COM
PHOTO: Team Finn contributions to pediatric cancer research are rolling ahead with the committed support of Chuck Magnus [ LEFT ], Patrick Sullivan and Dan MacEachern.
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