motionball: A Golden Movement

When three men are throwing back beers in downtown Toronto, you might not expect to hear them discussing ways to enhance Canada’s Special Olympics. If you walked past the Etherington brothers as they gathered at Bier Market in the fall of 2001, you probably wouldn’t have believed your ears – because that is exactly what they deliberated over drinks that evening.

Shortly thereafter, Mark, Sean and Paul Etherington breathed life into a non-profit organization benefitting Special Olympics Canada. Motionball, designed to integrate supporters and the athletes they support in a social setting, was founded in hopes of getting the ball rolling with the next generation of philanthropists.

This year’s Motionball Toronto gala, named Decadence, celebrated a decade of advocacy and raised $250,000 for Canada’s Special Olympic athletes in one evening. The Etherington brothers enthused young up-and-comers to move their peers to community involvement and frolic at Toronto’s leading event venue, The Carlu, with the superstars themselves – the athletes.

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The Etherington brothers have followed in the footsteps of their parents, Kirsteen and Brian Etherington (an Order of Canada recipient), who co-founded the Sports Celebrities Festival. In light of their childhood of giving, Mark, Sean and Paul have since fulfilled their family legacy.

Evolving from a single Toronto chapter, Motionball’s establishment has been well-received by the national community.

Since it’s inception in 2002, the brothers have doubled their initial fundraising goal, donating more than $2 million. www.motionball.com