Press conference kicks off 42nd annual Robbie tournament this weekend
A news conference for the event was held today at the Delta Toronto East.
Deb Bodine, chair of the nominations committee with the Scarborough Walk of Fame, made a surprise announcement that the tournament will receive a star on the walk of fame.
"The Robbie tournament is undoubtedly worthy of a shiny new star on Scarborough's Walk of Fame," Bodine told the crowd gathered at the Delta Toronto East hotel at Kennedy Road and Hwy. 401.
"I'm going to let you in on a little secret," Bodine said. "It will be officially announced in a few weeks."
This year's Scarborough Walk of Fame will be honouring the Robbie tournament's namesake, Robbie Wimbs.
The Robbie will join other recipients of the award engraved in the walkway in the upper level of the Scarborough Town Centre near the food court.
The official presentation of nominees will happen in a few weeks and the ceremony is slated for Thursday, Oct. 23.
"The tournament has put Scarborough on the map," Bodine said. "It has brought the community together like no other event."
Since the start of the tournament, the event has raised more than $1-million for cystic fibrosis research. This year, the Robbie tournament presented a $50,000 cheque to the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Teams from around across Canada - including Alberta and Quebec and evnt the world - including Scotland and the U.S. - will compete in this weekend's tournament.
Stefan Hicks-Rubel, 12, who has cystic fibrosis, spoke at the conference and thanked people for their support.
"Cystic fibrosis doesn't slow me down," he said, adding that he is taking digestive enzymes, physiotherapy and doing breathing exercises daily have become a part of his life. "It has become part of my daily routine."
He thanked everyone who is involved in the Robbie tournament.
"You have helped me and others like me live healthy lives," he said.
Years ago the life expectancy for people living with cystic fibrosis was five or six years, but now the average is 37 years, he said.
"I'm very grateful," he said. "The $50,000 will take us one step closer to beating cystic fibrosis."
Gary MacKay, head coach with the Tynecastle Football Club from Scotland, said his team of 17 boys in the U14 level are excited about playing.
"It's great having all this enthusiasm and it's great to see everyone working together," he said. "If we show the same strength on the bench as Stefan shows off the bench we'll have a great tournament," MacKay said.
Along with sponsors including the Scarborough Mirror, Umbro and Aquafina given an opportunity to speak, former Scarborough soccer player turned professional Julian de Guzman also spoke at the conference.
"I'm honoured to be here," he said. "I wish all the teams the best. It's great to see such a support for the Robbie."
