The Jon-a-thon: An Ordinary Miracle

Monday July 16, 2007 The Tarragon Theatre

Photos by Tara Andresen

http://www.taraandresenphotography.com/

The Jon-a-thon was a special benefit held at the Tarragon Theatre for Jonathan Purdy-Flacks and Toronto's Sick Kids Hospital (through the Sasha Bella Fund)

Organized by Michelle Martin, Jane Ford and Dawn Whitwell, The Jon-a-thon was a fun, fast-paced night of music and entertainment hosted by the uproariously talented Bruce McCulloch.

Featuring: Sho Mo & The Monkey Bunch, Dawn Whitwell, John Alcorn, Jane Ford, Richard Greenblatt & Christine Brubaker, Maggie Cassella, Man Murray (Deb Pierce), Kathryn Greenwood, Theresa Pavlinek, Leah Pinsent and Peter Kelleghan, Colin Mochrie, Sonja Smits, Michele Landsberg and Mark McKinney

It was a night of laughs, love, fun, music, inspiration and community support (and an amazing silent auction!)

Update: Over $45,000 was raised that night! Unbelievable! Congratulations to everyone involved in organizing the night. What a success it was in every way. We send our greatest appreciation and thanks.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

(Posted July 17, 2007) - The Jon-a-thon happened last night at the Tarragon Theatre and was a day I will remember for the rest of my life. It was an amazing night! I can't stop reviewing and savouring every moment in my mind. The line-up was awesome, unbelievable and completely stellar. I laughed more than I have in months. I felt so much love and goodness in the room and on stage and behind the scenes - I'm certain Jonathan picked up on it from his little bed here at the hospital and will use all that energy to heal himself and start the road to recovery. I can't say thank you enough to everyone who organized this Jon-a-thon and worked to make it happen. Thank you especially, Michelle, Jane and Dawn (the J-Crew) and the LA connections (Katie, Hilary, Bruce) - Jonathan's guardian angels watching over him in this life. Thank you everyone who came and volunteered and bid on the silent auction and performed. It was so much fun! I will remember it forever and tell Jonny all about it when he's older. Below you will find copies of our speeches from the night...much love and appreciation to everyone... Janis

Here's a review from Susan Cole at NOW Magazine who called it " a love-in "

DIANE'S JON-A-THON SPEECH, July 16, 2007:
[It’s too bad I’m drunk.] It’s been eight months, and although we’ve lived every moment of it, putting together something like this slide-show of Jonathan’s life really makes you realize things you hadn’t seen before. Like, apparently I have two outfits: The red sweatshirt with the jeans, and the black sweatshirt with the jeans.
Please join us in acknowledging the NICU folks who are here with us tonight. [NICU staff rise for appreciation]
We also are so grateful to be able to publically thank Michelle, Jane and Dawn, the J-Crew. Back in February, Mich came to the cafeteria at Sick Kids and told me she was going to do a benefit for us, and I said, you’re on mat leave and you have an infant son, are you crazy? But she wanted to do it and asked me who should help. I said Dawn and Jane. These three brilliant, devoted, tenacious, extraordinary, visionary, hilarious, highly-attractive, lovely, kind, overwhelmingly generous, and did-we-say-so-smart pals of ours have worked their asses off in secret for so many months. Who could have imagined where this event would go – how many people would open their hearts with such kindness.
Thank you to all the performers and volunteers and auction item donators. This incredible line-up - if I shared the stage with any of them, I’d think, "wow, you've really made it, baby.. Rest on your laurels.”

My friend Kristen Thomson sent me this poem: "Hope is the thing with feathers/ that perches in the soul/ and sings the tune without the words/ and never stops . . . at all"  -Emily Dickinson.
I’m reading this because you are our hope. I can’t tell you how many times a day Janis or I would go to the Jon-a-thon website and look at the comments, or the auction items, or the line-up – me at home and her at the hospital, at midnight, and we’d just marvel. The Jon-a-thon became our lifeline. The sense of awe, of hope, of pride in our community - the gratitude. These are not feelings that we'd normally feel in this situation. And to be so moved and overwhelmed by them in the midst of all this is a tremendous and startling gift. It literally got us through, not just us, but everyone who found out about it, it lifted everyone's spirits, and renewed all of our ability to fight. Thank you.

JANIS' JON-A-THON SPEECH:
Thank you for loving and supporting Jonathan.
Thank you for ensuring that he will not be deprived of advantages and opportunities in life because of his medical conditions.
I wish every child and family at Sick Kids could have this kind of support.
When we tell Jonny the story of his life, and this difficult beginning to life, we’ll tell him all about this night.
And when he begins his residency at the pediatric hospital of his choice, I promise he will write each one of you a hand-written thank you card.
Please join me in sending love tonight to Jonathan, and to all the little warriors, dragon slayers and super heroes down there with him at Sick Kids.
Thank you and bless you all.