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3y IIM ALGIE Sun Times stat? WIARTON â€" Twenty-four years ago, Tom Norris was a cebbie driving crippled children to summer camp. Wendell Thomson was one of those chil- dren. Now Nonis la a regional di- rector of the Ontario Easter Seals Society. For 14 years, he's been the mainstay of Snowma- ma-Skierame, one of the group’s most successful singleday fund- raiein events. Thomson is one of the agent‘s most devoted support- ? are. 'Snowereme-Skiarume here Saturday attracted 112 snowmo- bilere and 296 cross-country ski- ers. They brought in pledges from people all over Grey and Bruce counties of lust under $72,000. The donations varied [torn person to person. Tanya Atchi- son. 9. of Shallow Lake kicked in $40. And she was among 63 students from Amabel-Hepworth elementary school who collect- ed $5.683.“ tri pledgesi Thomson. now 33. brought in $8,000 single-handedly. “They always helped me when l was small." said Thom- son. who was born with a twist- ed right arm and leg. "And I thought 'how can I help them ' back?" "i can't give it up.” he said. "Cause I always like helping people any way I can." The mmltment to helping others began for Thomson in Norrts'a cab on the way to a two-week summer camp spon- sored by the group then known as the Society for Crippled Chil- dren. Norris's commitment had sim~ liar beginnings. Norris. who now operates a large school bus service. was waiting for a fare at a special Toronto clinic when he saw a young girl with thalidomide- shortened limbs take hm- first steps in a set of new fibreglass legs. "I saw her take her first steps. And she was so happy and the mother was so happy. I thought 'There's something to this That was in 196:! Hi: ioined the Rotary Club, which helps raise funds for the Etistor Seals Society. He's honn a (.lll’l‘ClU! of the society lot 23 years. .-\nd in 1974. he started 8mm ' Hit-l In 14 years «it up tilllttl tho event has now rims-It! iilinflst $700,000. It's so siiiiiiosstul. thr' Easter Seals SUth‘H lf- min: it as a model for SimllLlr t‘\l‘nl'\ in other parts of the [arm t’lt -A Socielv public relatmm iilii cer Fiona Broun and it no»: grapher coverml .M' activities searching my for a slide shou and NM! pray-am. "So far there art- .- .‘ mas." Brown will :ii .‘ View. "We'd like {lien more and we'll ltlJ' be as well organism-l .:~ tlir one.” Brown's task tllrl\ not :w r-xm NOITtS figures the sun‘s» ill Snowaramafiliumnii he) .I lt‘tl Snowamara means commitmént Fe h Sun Times photo by Willie Waterloo Wendell Thomson poses beside his snowmobile Saturday to do with the location “it's because of the people." he said “Per capita. we've always raised more money. it's people and caring [or other pecr rile That happnns up here " \Vitlltll'll l'litinison agrees. He ltVrES in J lrdllllr on his parents‘ Linn llt‘ul' Limherlost, iust north of 8131-. He HUth in the hush shiny ning cellar poles. tor Contractor .\lill Hana And he figures the Bruit- l'rfntltSLllti 15 iust about the 'Limi tutor» in the world to ll\.v' lillltlttH I-i uguallv a olLtH' month in {ht’ lumber busmess And [Mr lllv‘ past tour mars. hi- â€"' wt |\lilt' lltP niiinth to? hit» ill; niinu. :tia-u iii most pulflllL \Vi twn s tjrr‘uriilhii: ii., lllll mt tournaments in .A 3 Jenna And he gets on his. :iiiiwni-ilnlv and deFS dl‘lDlvllV _ m Fâ€"___ door on the peninsula asking for pledges. "I start at Miller Lake and work my way right through to Wat-ton." he said. The response is great “It they don‘t pledge me the first time, 1 lust go back and try or again. You nemr give up," Thomson said Thomsnns 56,014 total was the largest Stngl? total for anyone on a SHDH'ITtUlJllP Owen Sound skier Bill Georgtis l'iltStf‘tl SillL'IElO and was tlir liiugvst in- illlltlllttl fundraiser “legion i-‘LtbliL St’l‘iiiril plaC.Prl incond to Amobel-Hilpwurtli in The SLhCH’Il [built-non lltlw Vt‘ilr h‘itli _'-l lkzl’llflpdlllfi and .J llllxll til . .i‘ititl in plr't‘lgr‘s UirPn Shondk West Hill SoLiiiidoru Salioul was 'liird l'rlllt IO [ttlrllt’x ipants and 31 70-132 in pli‘dnur In all. students [mm l't fittioi‘il'» raised Sit-igloo” in pledges ,‘w l.i'l.~ » phii'm Tom hi'urris L'l L‘lll Ul‘fldlllZQI' _-___pâ€"aaâ€"wm