THE RANDY STARKMAN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Who was Randy Starkman?

Randy was Canada’s most passionate storyteller of the Olympic movement. During the course of his remarkable career, which extended over 30 years (25 years at the Toronto Star), Randy was regarded as the authoritative voice of amateur and Olympic sport in Canada. His name became synonymous with journalistic excellence, “telling it like it is” and unwavering advocacy for amateur athletes.

What set Randy Starkman apart from other Canadian sportswriters was his intense empathy and interest in the lives of Canada’s athletes. As Beckie Scott put it, “his voice will remain forever woven through the fabric of the Canadian Olympic story as one of the most incredible sports journalists Canada has ever had, and one of the truest friends of Olympic Sport there ever was.” Randy was the athletes’ voice.

However, Randy’s nature as a human being far outshone his iconic professional life.  A gentle, modest and humble soul, Randy was committed to many humanitarian and community causes, which he helped selflessly, quietly and tirelessly. From a young age, he devoted his time to many charitable endeavours, especially those helping kids.

Randy’s work was usually behind the scenes, where he would typically deflect praise, never seeking the limelight. When Randy won the Dr. Tom Pashby Sports Safety Award in 2008, which came with a $10,000 prize, he donated the entire amount to a children’s charity.

Randy’s love and respect for people truly defined him and his work.  During his life, he served as a shining example of a man who always did the right thing:  a man of exemplary values, and immense personal character. To quote Adam Van Koeverden……..”He was the kind of guy you want to model humanity after.”

Why did we establish “The Randy Starkman Charitable Foundation?”

When Randy tragically passed away in 2012, our family was overwhelmed by the public show of support.  The outpouring of warmth for Randy – from people all over the world – was a great comfort to his family and friends.  This led us to consider Randy’s legacy and the most meaningful way to honour it. We wanted to do something  Rand would be proud of, something to reflect his spirit and who he was as a human being.

The creation of “The Randy Starkman Charitable Foundation” is the result.

What is the mandate of “The Randy Starkman Charitable Foundation?”

With the assistance of the Foundation, The Canadian Olympic Committee has created “The Randy Starkman Olympian Humanitarian Award”, which was first presented in 2014. The award is given every two years to a male and female athlete in active competition, who have demonstrated outstanding performance on the field of play, exemplary conduct in pursuing the Olympic life, and who make a selfless and valuable contribution to their community and country off the field of play.

Fittingly, for a man who was unique, this award is different from most sports awards in that it goes to an athlete who has used his or her sporting excellence for broader community benefit. It also has a strong charitable aspect, with at least half of the award donated to a charity of the athlete’s choice. It mirrors Randy`s values and also helps athletes who need assistance financing their underfunded sporting endeavours.

The Randy Starkman Olympian Humanitarian Award is just one of the projects the Foundation supports. The Foundations’ mandate is also to help charities which Randy supported during his lifetime. Randy was all about kids and so is his foundation. The trustees of the foundation are people who were very close to Randy, and who will ensure that any donations are allocated to charities close to Randy’s heart.

Thank you very much for contributing to Randy’s Foundation. The Randy Starkman Charitable Foundation is a registered Canadian Charity, so you will receive an official tax receipt for your contribution. The foundation is run without any overhead costs (by family and friends donating their time to honour Rand) so every cent of your donation will be used solely for charitable causes.