“Sport, in its most noble form, is a great unifier. It finds common ground between people of different races and diverse backgrounds.

I came to appreciate this aspect of sport when I had the honour of helping organize the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, B.C.

I saw how sport develops leadership skills and builds teamwork. I observed how the spirit of competition instills self-confidence and forges lasting friendships. And witnessed how the Commonwealth Games movement embodies and promotes all these values.

Inspired by that spirit of good sportsmanship and good fellowship, I am proud to lead the fundraising efforts for Canadian athletes training for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.

For me, it's personal. I have gotten to know many of our athletes. I am awed by their passion and tireless commitment to a goal. They all share an optimism and unrelenting conviction to do their very best, in spite of obstacles. Very often, those obstacles are financial ones

I am calling upon corporations, organizations and individuals to contribute what you can to the success of our athletes. It's incredible how hard these young athletes work to acheive a dream. For them, financial support can be the difference between falling short or reaching that dream.

These young and women are our leaders of tomorrow. Let's empower them to make us proud. Let's support them to invest in ourselves.

George Heller
President
Commonwealth Games Foundation of Canada