Bill Webb didn鈥檛 like attention.
Most unsung heroes don鈥檛. They prefer to work in quiet, allowing the accomplishments of those they help speak for themselves.
Bill Webb worked quietly 鈥 so much so that his wife didn鈥檛 even know everything he did for others. But Webb, who died from prostate cancer in August at the age of 59, helped hundreds through the 91原创 Inner-City Rugby Foundation and the academy at the 91原创 Arrows, the rugby team he owned.
He donated money for scholarships year after year. He gave tickets to clubs he had no connection to. He wanted to talk to everyone, even the five-year-old Arrows fan standing on the sideline. Most of all, Webb was passionate about creating pathways for youth to participate in the sport he cared so deeply about.
Webb began playing rugby in high school and . He believed the sport 鈥 often demanding, always collaborative 鈥 created good people.
鈥淗is passion for rugby specifically (was) as a great tool for teaching life lessons,鈥 said Bill Di Nardo, who co-founded the rugby foundation and was friends with Webb. 鈥淲hat Bill wanted was for more people to have access to 鈥 those kinds of values.鈥
Webb began as a coach at the 91原创 City Rugby Club, then joined the advisory board at the rugby foundation. He was driven by helping youth play rugby and get a post-secondary education. He wanted to show kids what they could achieve and help them get there, his wife Agnes Wong said.
Marcello Wainwright was one of those kids. The son of a single mother, he tried out for the provincial team but couldn鈥檛 afford the roughly $2,000 in fees. When he made both the under-18 and under-19 teams, those fees doubled.
Through the rugby foundation 鈥 and Webb鈥檚 generosity 鈥 he was able to play.
鈥淗e just loved rugby on all levels,鈥 said Wainwright, who went on to play for the Arrows. 鈥淗e was a great ambassador for the game and did maybe more than anyone else in the country for the sport.鈥
Friends marvelled at how Webb had time for everyone. He showed up to monthly socials for the 91原创 Scottish rugby club, despite his sons playing for a different team. He wanted to be the glue in the community, Wong said.
More than 600 people attended his funeral and reception.
鈥淎nywhere there was an opportunity to create accessibility, you鈥檇 find Bill,鈥 Di Nardo said.
Webb鈥檚 generosity is similar to the spirit behind the Star鈥檚 Santa Claus Fund, and with it the sports department鈥檚 Proudfoot Corner, which raises money for 50,000 gift boxes for financially vulnerable children in the GTA.
Readers who donate to Proudfoot Corner will see their names published in bold on these pages, a long-standing tradition of the department.
The Santa Fund has been around since 1906. This year鈥檚 goal is to raise $1.5 million for 50,000 boxes that will go to financially vulnerable kids, ages one to 12, across Brampton, Mississauga, 91原创, Ajax, Pickering, Oshawa and Whitby.
The packages will be delivered by a team of more than 1,000 volunteers. Each box contains a hoodie, hat, mittens, socks, book, small toy, treat, toothpaste and toothbrush. Infants will get clothing, socks and other accessories.
In the Corner
We kick off this week with Bruce and Linn Caplan of Oakville, who return with a $250 donation 鈥 From Whitby: Jeanne Scott with $25, and Robert and Evelyne Stogryn with $210 gift in memory of Dierdre Veit 鈥 Craig Gibson of Thornhill gives $105 in memory of 鈥渕y Willowdale mom, Sevia鈥 鈥 There鈥檚 $100 from George McKie Jr. of Newmarket in memory of George and Joan McKie, who were former donors, while another $100 is from Paul Bottos of 91原创 in memory of Teresa D鈥橝ntonio 鈥 91原创 comes through again with $50 from John Arrabito 鈥 Another former donor, Gord Maunder, is remembered with $105 from Douglas Maunder of Scarborough.
Finally this week, we have the friends and family of Vince Catalfo, who have been honouring his memory through Proudfoot Corner since 2012. This year, Bill Dunn, Bruce Lee, Andy Alic, Bill Rodrigues, Trevor Beggs, Dario Vodopia, Lino Girardo, Nancy Falcioni, John Falcioni, Irene Petrovich, Ken Rovinelli and John Iannone joined forces to donate a very generous $1,255.
Many thanks to everyone for the continued support!
