Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy (Age 5-17): Mark Mannarn

Mark Mannarn will tell you that he “loves hockey and hates cancer”. He lost his grandmother in 2010 to pancreatic cancer and during that same period, his mother was also diagnosed with breast cancer.   In 2010, at the age of 12, he combined these extreme emotions to create and launch “Minor Hockey Fights Cancer- Feel Like a Pro Day” which raised $200,000 in its first year.

Mark’s fundraising concept is 100% Canadian. His dream was to create a local hockey skill building event for young players, led by professional hockey players. Young hockey players would raise a minimum of $200 in order to participate, with the top fundraisers ($1,000 minimum) invited to play in a real game with the pros, culminating in “Feel Like a Pro Day”.

Mark instigated the event by approaching his best friend’s father, Hockey Hall of Fame inductee and former Edmonton Oiler Paul Coffey, asking him to lend his name and talents to the event.   Mr. Coffey readily agreed and in January 2011, Mark and his dad (Art Mannarn) contacted the Canadian Cancer Society, inviting them to be their charity of choice.  Mark set a fundraising goal of $100,000. Afterward, the event planning and organizing began, including securing corporate sponsors and attracting individual sponsorship for fundraising.

Mark spent March Break 2011 working with web developers creating copy, streaming videos and developing tools and pages to advertise his event. He promoted the event through the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) to recruit participants and made presentations at a number of schools to encourage participation. By sharing his personal story, Mark impressed people of all ages, was profiled in the Globe and Mail and interviewed on Breakfast Television and CTV. 

The event took place on June 18, 2011. The enthusiastic participation of 240 plus minor hockey players, combined with support from his corporate sponsors helped Mark shatter his initial goal and raise $200,000 in its first year. It was the largest amount raised by an individual event organized as part of the Community Partnerships Program in Canadian Cancer Society history and is an amount so significant, it could fund an entire biomedical research grant for one year. Mark personally raised $100,000 of that sum.

It is hoped that the Mannarn’s story will inspire others to take up the fight against cancer, a disease that affects two in five Canadians. This event combines a game that Canadians of all ages care passionately about. Its appeal is widespread and has the potential to expand into other Canadian communities. The Mannarn family intends to make this an annual event in Toronto and an online event manual is currently under development, so that other young people across Canada can host their own event.

A new breed of philanthropists is evolving, as evidenced by the passion and dedication of young leaders like him and Mark proved to himself and other young Canadians that kids really can transform their personal passions into action! For more information, visit: www.minorhockeyfightscancer.ca.

Mark Mannarn was nominated for this award by the Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario Division.