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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday February 15, 2008 - 25 YMCA is Victor Lo invites kids to kick for SickKids a clean machine Twelve-year-old Victor Lo never knew his older brother, Erik, but keeps kicking on his behalf. For the second year, Victor will host a Kickathon for SickKids Hospital at his family's Oakville Taekwondo Academy at 364 Kerr St. The event is Saturday, Feb. 23 and will see kids kicking for kids for one hour -- from 11 a.m. until noon. Last year the event raised more than $1,500. Students will complete pledge sheets and kick for one hour to raise funds for Sick Kids Hospital in memory of Erik. For information call 905-844-5377. Erik had AML (acute mylenous leukemia). When he was nine months old, he had a bone marrow transplant at Sick Kids, relapsed and died in August By Doug MacPherson YMCA OF OAKVILLE VOLUNTEER 1994. Victor, who was born two years later, has made it a practice to do fundraising in his brother's name. Victor, his mom Kim, dad Walter and sister Lian have lived in Oakville since 1991. They opened Oakville Taekwondo Academy in 2007. T he core values of the YMCA in Oakville not only hang as posters on its walls, but are also evident in the performance and dedication of the facility team. Inclusiveness, health, responsibility, respect, caring and honesty set the work standards achieved by this group of 15 men and women. For most `Y' members, the cleanliness, maintenance and care of the building are things taken for granted. Yet the level and quality of care and cleanliness require a "24-7" effort and diligence on the part of the facility team, which performs its duties unobtrusively with a "member-first" attitude. In comparison with other YMCA buildings throughout Canada, the quality of maintenance and care reflect the strong commitment of the `Y' facility staff in Oakville. As Crichton Smith, facility manager, said, "The team works hard to continuously maintain an A-level rating in health and safety and cleanliness when measured on criteria in those areas compared to other `Ys'." As the newest member of the facility team, Mark Gognavec truly embodies a high level of thoroughness and attentiveness in his work. He is always willing to put in extra time to finish off what needs to be done at the end of the shift before he leaves. Mark has worked at the `Y' for just over three months. He thoroughly enjoys his work at the `Y' because of the positive outlook of members and staff. As Mark pointed out, "Everybody's nice. I haven't met anyone that was rude, both members and staff." As a member of one of the designated Employment Equity groups, Mark has proven himself to Crichton, his fellow colleagues and members in his ability to work hard and efficiently. He represents the values and goals of the `Y' in its community involvement. The Employment Equity program was set up to address the underemployment and unemployment issues that have historically plagued certain groups within Canadian society. Inclusiveness, health, responsibility, respect, caring and honesty have significance to Mark and all the facility team as exemplified in their work. The YMCA of Oakville is a charitable association open to all, dedicated to providing life-long opportunities for health enhancement and personal growth.