MONTREAL -- The McGill University men's rugby program has a long and proud history of philanthropy and they aren't letting the COVID-19 pandemic slow them down. Led by players Dylan Havelock, a fifth-year senior insoftware engineering, Andrew Knopp, a physical education senior and Monty Weatherall, an arts sophomore, some 38 members of the program laced up to raise funds for Montreal's CHU Sainte-Justine children's hospital by taking part in the RBC Race for the Kids last week. They raised over $5,000 to help support a variety of youth-focused causes.
When it became apparent that the on-field 2020 season was a no-go, the team decided they wanted to carry the momentum from an excellent 2019 campaign in other ways and searched for worthwhile projects to get involved with that could benefit the community, while increasing team camaraderie.
They decided to lead off with the Race for the Kids campaign. Havelock liked the idea of entering a running event and when the original plan of the Montreal Marathon was temporarily put on the shelf due to COVID-19, this seemed like a perfect stand-in.
"Originally, I had been planning on doing a half-marathon and before this, the longest I had ever run was a 10k," said Weatherall. "Nearing the completion of the half I was feeling pretty good and since I would have had to walk six miles home anyways if I stopped, I decided to keep going. Obviously, I'm pretty happy with the results. It feels great to support a worthwhile cause and have fun doing it. The further you run, the more money you're likely to raise so it felt great."
There is no intention to slow down following this fundraising event, with many more planned for the coming months.
"Every year we participate in 'Movember' (a month-long campaign in support of men's cancer). Teammate Eric Shuell and I actually organize the fundraiser for the entire university," said Weatherall, a fly-half and director of communications for the program. "University is such a defining experience for everyone and for us it's very important that we amplify values not only on the pitch but off of it. Our head coach, Ian Baillie, does a great job of trying to instill those positive qualities in us, and particularly during this tough time, it's important that we chip in where we can."
While the program is doing a standout job supporting the community, they are doing much of the same for each other during difficult times. They have a bi-weekly Zoom call in which many players don goofy hats and have split up into mini groups of six or seven to check in on one another regularly to make sure everyone is doing well. It's a much-needed support group and a good way to build chemistry.
"We have a great group of guys and we really make a concerted effort to keep in touch and make sure everyone knows we are here to support one another," said Weatherall. "Our team has historically enjoyed a very strong relationship with our alumni, and the relationship has grown even closer in recent years thanks to several alumni initiatives, including the successful relaunch of the Covo Cup in 2019."
The rugby squad has certainly strengthened their reputation for community support, having closed out 2020 as the top "Seeds of Change" fundraiser in the McGill 24's one-day campaign with a total of $48,061. It's a legacy they are looking to continue now more than ever.
