by Frank Salive, for Western Fair Raceway

London, ON — The legacy of 11-year-old Chase McEachern continues to thrive in the year since his passing. The next track to benefit from the initiative he started during his life will become Western Fair Raceway in London.

A major fundraiser is set for the program of January 29 for the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Chase McEachern Tribute Fund. It’s devoted to placing life saving heart defibrillators at racetracks and public venues.

“It hasn’t ceased to amaze us, the generosity of the horseracing community in Ontario in stepping up since Chase passed away last February,” said John McEachern, Chase’s father and an Ontario Racing Commission investigator based in Barrie, ON. “Chase loved hockey and knew of two NHL players that had to retire because of the heart condition that took his life. He wrote to the legendary hockey commentator and coach Don Cherry of his belief that life-saving defibrillators should be in every arena, racetrack, and public facility. Chase would be extremely proud to see what’s about to happen in London.”

Leading up to the fundraiser night, from January 22 through 29 at Western Fair, $5 raffle tickets will be on sale. The prizes include a pair of tickets to a Toronto Maple Leafs NHL game, 4 tickets to a London Knights junior hockey game, and a $400 value Walsh Extreme set of harness donated by Doug Wilson of Wilson’s Tack.

And, on the evening of January 29, Western Fair will direct $5 from each customer in the Top Of The Fair restaurant purchasing the $22.95 buffet dinner to Chase’s Tribute Fund.

The other fundraising initiative for the evening will be the acceptance of fees and purse earnings from drivers, trainers, and horsepeople. Western Fair staff and the public will be welcome to make cash donations to the Chase McEachern Tribute Fund.

“Just recently our sports centre acquired a defibrillator. Everyone is aware of the documented cases of the lives they’ve saved at racetracks and public facilities,” observed Hugh Mitchell, the Chief Operating Officer of the Western Fair Raceway and Association. “To now be equipping our racetrack with one is something we’re very grateful for.”

Western Fair’s Race Secretary, Raceway and Gaming Manager Ian Fleming says the planned unveiling of the defibrillator on January 29 will be of immediate benefit to horsepeople in the paddock and grandstand building guests.

“We’ve set a goal of $4,000 for the fundraising effort of January 29,” Fleming said.

Randy Waples returning in the spirit of charity

An added attraction of the January 29 Chase McEachern Tribute Fund night at Western Fair will be the appearance of driver Randy Waples. It will mark his first turn of service in a race bike since he was seriously injured at Mohawk Racetrack in May of 2006.

“I’ve been holding off returning to the track until I could combine it with a charity and this is just terrific,” said Waples. “I’m fully recovered from the accident, I’ve been working out, I’ve driven qualifiers and been jogging horses most days and I feel great, really anxious to go back to work again.”

The contribution of driving fees from the program by Waples continues his long history of charitable involvements which includes the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, The Hamilton Food Bank, and The Boy Scouts.

Perhaps Waples is best remembered for leading the horse racing community’s charitable drive into Walkerton for the town’s children after the contaminated water disaster there almost seven years ago.

“There’s one other surprise in store for January 29 at Western Fair,” Waples explained. “I’m donating a custom driving suit with my colors in a flames arrangement to John McEachern for auction to help out the fundraiser. It’s quite a unique suit since the yellow and gold flames design was originally disallowed by the Racing Commission. Finally the judges gave me permission to wear it so I hope it draws a lot of bids and really helps the charity spirit of the night at Western Fair.”

That donation by Waples will be made at 7:15 p.m. to John McEachern and officials from the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation in a special televised trackside ceremony. John McEachern will also return for another trackside televised segment later in the evening to announce the raffle prize winners.

At www.heartandstroke.ca/chase there’s much more information about the Chase McEachern Tribute Fund and the continuing legacy of his initiative to save lives through the installation of defibrillators at racetracks and public facilities.