March 5, 2021

Setting the Pace: LiUNA Makes $10,000 Gift to Kick-Start Fundraising Through the Bay Race

For years, the Labourers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) has entered a fundraising team in the Around the Bay Road Race supporting St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation. Dubbed Team LiUNA – Lending a Hand, under the leadership of International Vice-President and Regional Manager Joseph Mancinelli and Business Manager of LiUNA Local 837, Riccardo Persi, they’ve raised more than $800,000 to support patient care, research and equipment renewal at St. Joe’s.

The race has always been a way for LiUNA’s employees to come together for an event that builds comradery and gives back to the Hospital that cares for their families, friends, colleagues, neighbours and loved ones. This year, to protect the health and safety of all participants, the Around the Bay Road Race is going virtual and LiUNA is taking a new approach to their Bay Race participation.

By making a $10,000 kick-starter donation, LiUNA is setting a winning pace for fundraising through the Around the Bay Road Race. Their $10,000 gift will bolster the fundraising efforts of Team St. Joe’s: a collection of doctors, nurses, researchers, healthcare professionals and community members aiming to collectively raise funds for the Hospital. Funds raised through the 2021 Virtual Bay Race will support mental health and addiction programs at St. Joe’s, including the expansion and renewal of our emergency mental health service.

“LiUNA is proud of its continued association with St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation. We applaud the great work of the Hospital, especially amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It is our honour to support the 2021 Around the Bay Road Race and we look forward to our team’s return to an in-person event next year,” said Joseph S. Mancinelli, LiUNA International Vice President & Central and Eastern Canada Regional Manager.

Hospital President, Melissa Farrell, thanked LiUNA for their leadership donation by saying, “We’re so grateful to LiUNA for their long-standing involvement in the Bay Race, but also for their commitment to supporting mental health programs and services at our Hospital. Demand for these services is at an all-time high as so many of us cope with long-lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re immensely grateful to LiUNA for this boost to the fundraising efforts of Team St. Joe’s. They’ve set a strong fundraising example during their time taking part in the Bay Race, and we’re going to aim to make them proud!”

You, too, can join LiUNA in lending a hand to Team St. Joe’s by joining the team, fundraising or making a donation. To get involved click here.