Maybe it’s a Dad thing. Maybe it’s a Randy thing. I guess it’s both. I can’t resist a pun or a wordplay. Yes, the true phrase, ‘seek and you shall find’, is from the Good Book and is great advice. Seeking is about being proactive and making things happen. Fully agree. However, some things in life find you. When you are not expecting them. Think about your own situation. Illnesses, accidents, family situations out of your control. That kind of stuff. When Chris passed away, that was something that found us in a big way obviously! Like Mike Tyson states, ‘Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face’. Never a truer word said, Mr. Tyson!
So, here you are, you’ve been seeking, planning and being proactive and WHAM – something finds you. One of THE THINGS that helped us through and me personally as a father, business guy and manager, was the understanding that even in that moment and the weeks and months ahead, I was able to control my next decision. So, you could say that even though the worst event for a parent (and family) found us, we were still able to seek and find a future. We could control our next decision.
One of those big decisions was starting Chris’ memorial fund at Simon Fraser University. Although only in high school, he had played lacrosse for SFU coaches. There was a strong tie. The desire to help young people going through SFU and in the lacrosse program was high on the list of things to do! So we did it. With the support of incredible people at SFU (thanks Wanda!), the fund was set up within days. I had a crazy goal of ensuring that fund would reach 100k at some point in the distance future. I was thinking decades. It only took a few years. THANK YOU to all of you who helped to fund and to EVERYONE who reads this as you are part of that fund in spirit and part of Chris’ legacy. We are NOT looking for additional funds but I wanted to provide an update. (click here for SFU story about Chris)
The balance in the endowment is over $109,000 and there is $7,000 to be allocated this spring (2025)! To date, over $40,000 has been distributed in Chris’ memory to lacrosse-playing Simon Fraser University students. Isn’t that crazy? I mean good crazy? That fund will live in perpetuity and each year Chris’ character is remembered through this fund.
Being proactive and understanding the power of choice even when things seem hopelessly out of your control – is something that allowed us to navigate the future. Wherever you are on your life’s journey, I trust you will be able to experience the power of decisions as you move forward.
Seek and you shall fund? Yes, we did.
Be The Best. 