How Bloor West Village Helped Support a Historic Win

Known for its rich history, this “castle on the hill” school is more than just a landmark in the neighbourhood. Western Technical-Commercial School¹ is a school deeply rooted in community values, which shines through in the story of Coach Raymond Tone’s successful fundraising efforts for his basketball team. This story is a true example of why we love our community!

A coach for over 20 years, Coach Tone joined Western Tech just two years ago. What drew him in was the chance to give back to the very community that raised him. Determined to restore the basketball team to its former glory, he quickly recognised a growing challenge.

“Everybody wanted to help.”, shared Coach Tone

Amid budget cuts, limited resources were making it harder for his students to compete on a level playing field. Rather than accept these limitations, Coach Tone turned to the community.

What began as casual conversations with local businesses in Bloor West Village grew into something bigger. With positive responses from the community and encouragement from the school’s principal, Mark Koczij, Coach Tone learned the ins and outs of fundraising and sponsorships. And in just six weeks, he raised approximately $6000 to support his team.

“Helping the community is a given”, shared Atusa Z. of Mega Save Optical

Much of this support came directly from local businesses, including Fox N’ Johns, Shakey’s Bar & Grill, Falafel World, and Megas Save Optical. And the support didn’t stop at monetary contributions. Several businesses also donated services ranging from bike repairs to gym memberships, which will be featured in an upcoming silent auction this spring, with all proceeds going toward the basketball program.

Donations primarily funded new uniforms for both junior and senior teams, along with tournament fees, transportation, and organizing competitive games. They also supported hosting local tournaments, promotional materials, and essential team supplies, all contributing to the program’s overall success.

What moved Coach Tone the most was the relative ease with which Bloor West Village stood up for them. “Everybody (said), ‘Yeah, I want to be a part of this!'”

For local businesses, this was more than just a chance to give back, it was an opportunity to connect with families across Toronto, as Western Tech draws students from all over the city. But for the students, the impact was even greater.

Atusa Z. from Mega Save Optical, a family-run business that has served Bloor West Village for over 20 years, and a former student of Coach Tone, shares how he has always been very motivational, kind, and “has that energy to get everybody excited to do something great for themselves.” Having been in Bloor West Village for over 25 years, she shares how it was exciting to be able to support the school and get updates on all their wins.

For a school whose motto is “We create community”, this experience brought that idea to life. Knowing that there is a “big brother” looking out for them meant a lot. “(I) think it’s just knowing that the community is not just your family or the school, but the surrounding community is (also) invested and aware of your success was huge for the kids.”, Coach Tone said.

That momentum is already paying off as the Western Tech Colts captured the TDSSAA Junior Boys City Basketball Championship earlier this year. Besides this historic win in 80 years, the school is also benefiting in other ways from increased enrollments to more businesses reaching out to help.

¹ Founded in 1927, Western Technical-Commercial School, located at 125 Evelyn Crescent, is home to over 1000 students and specialises in providing students with both Academic programs and SHSM(Specialist High Skills Majors).↩