The London Jr. Mustangs regular season kicks off on Saturday, but before the season begins, one player is asking people to pledge money for every touchdown he scores.
When 18-year-old Garrett Holmes of Oakville was approached last month to play quarterback for the London Jr. Mustangs, the organization met his request to resurrect the Go-Garrett-Go fundraiser throughout the season.
“The money raised will go right to hospitals for kids who currently can’t play sports,” Holmes said.
“I think it’s a really cool initiative to give back to kids who want to play because I was in their position once and I know exactly how it feels,” he said.
When Holmes was seven years old, he suffered a seizure on Christmas Day.
He was rushed to hospital in Oakville, where he lay unresponsive for over four hours. Hospital staff weren’t able to get the seizures under control, which forced a quick transfer to Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto.
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But for Holmes, his issues didn’t stop with seizures. Two years of medication limited his ability to participate in sports. For the up-and-coming quarterback, it was agonizing.
“That’s one of the main reasons why we started the fundraiser because that image really sticks with you throughout your life,” he said.
“When I finally left the hospital, many kids didn’t have the same opportunity to do the same. That was sad to see, and that’s what pushed me to start doing this.”
Holmes eventually asked his father, Gerard, for help to start the fundraiser.
“And originally I suggested to Garrett, why don’t you knock on houses, door to door, and get people to pledge for every touchdown, how much they’d donate,” said Gerard Holmes.
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“But eventually I thought, you know, a website might make this easier to do, and will certainly reach more people,” he said.
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Holmes started the Go-Garrett-Go charitable initiative as an Atom football player but was unable to continue it for his high school team due to board donation regulations.
But Garrett saw the opportunity to continue the campaign once the defending Ontario Provincial Football League champs, who were light on the quarterback position this year, called him up.
“Having the London Jr. Mustangs support it, and his teammates as well, it’s really amazing to see,” Gerard Holmes said.
Donors choose which hospital they want to support through the Children’s Miracle Network to provide equipment, fund research, and more to help kids get back to playing sports as soon as they can.
More information is available on the campaign’s website.
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