A fundraiser with real horsepower: Spurs & Sparkles raises $104K for Queensway Carleton Hospital

Last night’s Get Up and Gallop competition saw teams go neck-and-neck for first place, but none could quite pull ahead of Terlin Construction.

For the third year in the row, company president Terry McLaughlin and his trusty team won the competition held during Spurs & Sparkles, a fundraising evening for Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation that features a fun race involving corporate sponsors, show jumpers, and sports and media celebs.

The gathering attracted more than 300 attendees to the scenic Wesley Clover Parks in the city’s west end, where a massive party tent filled with food, drinks, music and decor awaited. The evening was co-chaired by Wesley Clover Parks executive director Karen Sparks and her good friend Catherine McLaughlin, both of whom were presented with special awards of their own by QCH Foundation president and CEO Shannon Gorman for helping to make the hospital fundraiser such a tremendous success. The evening raised $103,964 through corporate sponsorship, ticket sales, raffle proceeds and online auction bidding.

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QCH serves over half the population of Ottawa, said Gorman of “the little hospital that can”.

“We really do need your support,” she told the room.

QCH Foundation was “a natural choice,” said Sparks, who previously served on its board, including as its chair for two years, and delivered all four of her children at the hospital. As well, the hospital’s emergency department has been valuable to users of Wesley Clover Parks, she added.

Her father, Terry Matthews, founder and chairman of Wesley Clover International, was among the attendees. So were such QCH Foundation board members as past chair Fred Seller, founding partner at Brazeau Seller Law, Stacey McMillan (KPMG) and Mia Hemphey, CEO for Nelligan Law. 

The co-chairs are also passionate about show jumping. Sparks is very accomplished at the sport and McLaughlin’s 20-year-old daughter Charlotte is an equestrian student-athlete at Auburn University in Alabama. McLaughlin, who’s married to Terry McLaughlin, is also the events and activations manager at the Fairmont Château Laurier.

Returning as the presenting sponsor was RBC. It was the first day for Devinder Gill in her new role as regional president for RBC Royal Bank in Ontario North and East. She relocated here from British Columbia — where she was regional vice-president of business financial services — to take over from Marjolaine Hudon. Hudon has been promoted to president for Quebec but attended that night to show her support.

The Get Up and Gallop race featured 10 teams participating in a three-part competition, each trying to finish as quickly as possible. 

Teams began with an equestrian portion completed by one of the show jumpers. Next came a quick drill involving the sport of curling. Lastly, the team navigated an obstacle course in a golf cart. It was a burr in the saddle for those who took wrong turns or unexpected detours. The Faces Magazine team stopped to ask equestrian legend Ian Millar for directions before pulling out its map.

Ultimately, all the teams made it to the finish line — many with fist in the air for dramatic effect.

“Lead Foot” McLaughlin zoomed around the course in no time. Seated next to him was his returning teammate, retired sports broadcaster Terry Marcotte, who finished his curling task lickety-split. Their star show jumping athlete, 15-year-old Manotick resident Taylor Wood, rode on the back. The medal-winning athlete trains at Millar Brooke Farm.

“We told Taylor just to hang on for dear life,” said Marcotte. Something tells us that, as a show jumper, she’s used to doing that.

Coming in second place was Eye Candy Beauty Bar comprised of Bliss Heers, show jumper Amy Millar and former Ottawa Senators defenceman Mark Borowiecki. Third-place finisher Team Struck Apparel consisted of its founder, Kevin Maxie, show jumper Ashley Maxie and Ottawa Redblacks defensive lineman Nigel Romick. 

Romick’s wife, Melissa Lamb, co-hosted the evening with her CTV colleague Stefan Keyes.

Coming in fourth place in the Get Up and Go competition were Accora Village (Natasha Plotnikov, Jacklynn Carey and Nathan Grenon), followed by Mark Motors Group (Liza Mrak, Rayne Dubois and Jeff Hopper). The team rankings continued with Cityscape (Victoria La Valle, Karen Sparks and Jorian Donovan), Senators Community Foundation (Jennifer Cameron, Heather Oswald and Radek Bonk), Faces Magazine (Quinn Valters, Christine Wiggins and Austin Lee), RBC (Devinder Gill, Lauren Hayes and Lisa Weagle) and Fuller Construction (Kyle Athrens, Lauren Hunkin and Shean Donovan).

Attendees were invited to bet on the team or teams that they thought had the best chance of coming out on top. Winners were drawn after the competition, with the first-place prize a diamond ring from La Maison d’Or and the second-place prize a special stay at the Fairmont Château Laurier. 

caroline@obj.ca