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Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Broken PRESTO card contest takes a turn for humanity

from: Cindy (Cj) Smith 
to: Rav Gill
date: Tue, Sep 30, 2014 at 10:57 PM
subject: Congratulations! Steak (or coffee) is on me!

Hi Rav!
On August 8th you submitted an entry into my broken Presto card contest. Guess what!? My cat, using a very scientific process, sat on your email and declared you the winner.
You have a choice between $25 to spend at Starbucks or The Keg.
Please let me know if you are able to meet tomorrow in front of the Dairy Queen at Union Station for 4:45 pm, or a time convenient for you, to collect your gift card. I will pick up the card up on my way down.

Cj


from: Rav Gill 
to: Cindy (Cj) Smith 
date: Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 2:31 PM
subject: Re: Congratulations! Steak (or coffee) is on me!

Hi Cj!

This is amazing. But you know what's amazing? Your website and your desuire to right all that is wrong with this fare card. Truth be told as much I'd like to see you spend that money on me I have a request. Don't be mad. But do you think I can suggest a charitable donation to something that is dear to my heart? And you can make it in my name? You can keep the receipt. Or if it's too little, don't worry. It's the principle of it. I lost my dad and my brother to cancer. I participate in the Terry Fox run every year and in their memories. Would you consider a donation? I hope I'm not overstepping what you were trying to do here and I hope it doesn't cause a problem among those who entered.

Rav

from: Cindy (Cj) Smith 
to: Rav Gill
date: Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 3:19 PM
subject: Re: Congratulations! Steak (or coffee) is on me!

Rav,
That's a wonderful gesture. As for hard feelings among other entrants, I am using my own money to fund the prize so I don't think it matters how it's spent or if you would rather be charitable. I'm all for it. I'll look into the donation and I think you should get the receipt because I believe a $25 donation is tax deductible. If you're comfortable, please send me your mailing address, otherwise, I'll use my information but make it on behalf of you (as requested), or better yet, how about you give me your dad and brother's name?
I do have to announce the winner today and will publish what we chatted about online. Okay to use your full name and where you're from?

from: Rav Gill 
to: Cindy (Cj) Smith 
date: Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 3:24 PM
subject: Re: Congratulations! Steak (or coffee) is on me!

Absolutely! My home address is XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Mississauga, ON XXXXXXX You're too kind. Thank you for this honour. And it's ok to publish my name and any other details you wish to share.
Rav

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very nice on both parts. My heart is warmed.

Mary Mary said...

Very nice gesture Rav and congratulations. Cancer steals so many things from all of us. If anyone calls sour grapes, who cares?! It's your prize. My condolences for the loss of your dad and brother. I think too many of us know this pain.

Bicky said...

Congrats Rav! And what a wonderful gesture for giving. :)

Peter said...

Congratulations, Rav, and thank you for your very kind gift to a worthy cause. Thank you, CJ, for hosting this contest.

Anonymous said...

As my mother would say ... every little bit helps to get closer to the cure ... very touching gesture from both parties involved.

Sylv said...

Congratulations Rav, and my condolences. I too lost a sibling to that horrible disease.

Nora1968 said...

Rav is the kind of guy I'm raising my son to (hopefully) be.

Well done.

Valentino Assenza said...

This moment is a snapshot of why I still have faith in humanity.

Good on you Cindy, and good on you Rav.

Jules said...

This is just pure awesome, on both your parts, I love to start my day off hearing nice things.

Anonymous said...

This really is a lovely story and I don't want to mar any warm feelings about this story but as someone who handles donor requests and issues charitable tax receipts day in and day out I have to tell you that what is being asked is actually against the tax rules, as a donation receipt can only be issued to the true donor of the gift. In this case, that would be you CJ, because the $25.00 has remained in your possession. Perhaps the Terry Fox Foundation will see the situation differently though.

C.J. Smith said...

Last night Rav and I discussed this further over the phone and the donation was made by me to my daughter's school as part of the Donate to a School feature.

Al said...

The tax law cannot be true, as I work for a big bank, we have raffles a couple times a year where the prize is a tax receipt for the value of the raffle tickets which is made as a donation, Sometimes upwards of $10,000. I dont think the bank would put themselves in any position to break tax laws.