From left, Coach John Ruscitti, E.L. Crossley Principal Karen Simpson, Debbie Pine, Kerry Brettell, Kim Yallup and Dominc Aiello gather at E.L. Crossley Secondary School to accept the proceeds raised from the Emily Brettell Memorial Hockey Game held in December.
Fundraising total exceeded expectations; new boats on order
By NATE SMELLE
When tragedy strikes a community as it did the residents of Pelham with the sudden passing of E.L. Crossley Secondary School student Emily Brettell last August, people come together to grieve and to help one another heal. To celebrate Emily’s life, the residents of Fonthill and Welland united to honour her memory on Saturday, Dec. 17 at the Welland Arena for the Emily Brettell Memorial Hockey Game.
Surprised and saddened to learn of Emily’s death from his daughter Lauren who mentored the young rower, co-organizer of the game Dominic Aiello felt compelled to do something to preserve her legacy. Thinking about the success he had experienced raising funds for a variety of charities with his teammates on Team Welland, he came up with the idea of holding a memorial hockey game against the E.L.Crossley hockey team to let the Brettell family know how much the community cared for their daughter.
“It was amazing to see how many people who didn’t even know her came out to show their support,” said Aiello.
“What we did here as a hockey and a rowing family really showed us how loved Emily is and how much she meant to the community. Seeing how the communities [Pelham and Welland] united to make this happen also showed us what it means to be a part of a community.”
“It was an incredible night,” added event co-organizer Debbie Pine.
“Both communities were very supportive. It was unbelievable to see how many donors came forward. More than 85 items were donated to the auction from local businesses and community members. Everyone we reached out to were very generous. A lot of people heard what we were doing and actually approached us. It was fantastic.”
Both Aiello and Pine said the event far exceeded its fundraising goals, raising a total of $13,390 — four times more than they had expected. The funds will go towards purchasing two new rowing vessels for E.L. Crossley’s rowing team, and scholarships for students pursuing post-secondary studies.
“Team Welland raised $4,000 alone,” he said.
“Looking around at the guys that night you could see that they knew they were part of something really special. A lot of them have kids who are around Emily’s age so it hit everyone hard, to think about how something like this could happen to anyone’s children.”
E.L. Crossley rowing team coordinator, Kim Yallup said she saw former students at the event she hadn’t seen in some 10 years. Although many of them didn’t know Emily, and weren’t members of the rowing team themselves, Yallup said they were all part of the Crossley family.
“It just shows that when something happens to one of our own it happens to all of us,” she said.
Emily was known as a dedicated young athlete who trained year-round, and competed for team Crossley and the South Niagara Rowing Club during the summer and fall. Heading into Grade 12 Aiello said Emily already had schools such as the University of Central Florida and the University of Tulsa lining up to recruit her. As the head coach of the 12-time national championship E.L. Crossley rowing team, John Ruscitti is one of the individuals in the community Emily inspired. Having worked closely with her, Ruscitti said Emily was one of the hardest working athletes he has ever worked with.
“She was an inspiration to everyone on the team and anyone who knew her,” he said.
“Emily was always the one we would have to kick out of the gym when it was time to lock up. Her work ethic was second to none. She was everything you could have asked for in an athlete and a teammate, and it was devastating to lose her. I can’t tell you how many kids she inspired. We miss her every day”
Coach Ruscitti said the two new boats that are to be named in Emily’s honour have already been ordered. The christening is tentatively scheduled to take place at the South Niagara Rowing Club on April 7.
Emily’s mother Kerry Brettell was moved to see how much her daughter meant to her friends, teammates and the community. Brettell said her daughter would have appreciated knowing that her memory would live on in a way that helps others and makes their lives better.
“The good thing is that we are going to be able to help others for years to come through the scholarships and the boats,” said Brettell.
“Hopefully she knew how many people she did touch.”
