The Demaras Racing team, plus PRO Racing Ontario, and some new friends from Michael Garron Hospital, pulled together to make this week’s visit to MGH a success.
Darryl Timmers and Curtis Fox from PRO really got behind the PPE project. They ran their 3D printing equipment 24/7 to make face shields, with Darryl even bringing the equipment home so he could print overnight. PRO took on huge new challenges this year, making the Mosport Karting Centre their new home track, and becoming the Ontario distributor for the Charles Leclerc kart, yet they made time to help their community in a time of crisis.
Clare Olmstead, VP of Major Gifts and Planned Giving at the Michael Garron Hospital Foundation was receptive to the idea of Daniel Demaras dropping off the next PPE donation using his racing kart. But when Demaras arrived at the hospital, he was thrilled at the enthusiasm shown by Clare and her colleague Mary. They brought a huge checkered flag that MGH used for the Danforth Dash ‘hospital bed races’ which takes place at a local festival each year. Mary put her cinematography to work, capturing epic shots, while Clare got into the spirit of the visit by hopping into the race kart for a quick spin!
Demaras Racing’s resident father and grandfather Chris Demaras and Bill Demaras came up with the idea of zip-tying a trunk to the rear bumper of Daniel’s kart. All the PPE would be loaded in, sealed up in ziplock bags safe from exhaust gasses. After a test fitting, the race kart had been turned into a mobile PPE delivery machine!
Daniel’s task was the scariest. The kart was unloaded from the team truck close to the hospital, but Daniel would still have to risk his neck driving on public roads in a racing kart that sits 2″ off the ground. He’d have to rely on the rest of the ‘crew’ to keep him safe. In some scenes shot at MGH, cars can be seen driving near Daniel as he quickly rounds a corner to start his trip down the ramp to the receiving department. Even in that confined space, Daniel had to contend with trucks making deliveries, waiting for his turn to race down the ramp at speed.
It’s become almost cliche to say “times are tough”. Most businesses are shut down, schools are closed and the normal routines everyone took for granted are a memory. The whole idea of driving the kart down to the hospital was to bring attention to the need for PPE donations to hospitals, while doing it in a fun way.
Something good.
