The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday February 20, 2002 - A5 FRANK O DEA: From skid row to celebrated entrepreneur By Melanie Cummings SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Large Selection of Weekend Wear CLEAN SWEEP $21: SALE - 1 Susan Bristol, LDavid Brooks, Liz Claiborne, Koret Tabi Hopes and dream s brought Frank O 'Dea out of his self-destructive lifestyle. Thirty years ago the co-founder of Second Cup, philanthropist and celebrated entrepreneur was "a skid row alcoholic 1 London Fog 1 living on the streets in Toronto." Coats &Jackets With this blunt honesty, O 'Dea told members of the Rotary Club of Oakville Trafalgar Friday night -- after he had received the Paul Harris Fellowship, an award for outstanding service from the group -- about his typical day on skid row. "I'd panhandle gathering 99 cents to Assorted buy wine, drink it in an alleyway, and T-Necks & Mocks then find 50 cents to sleep in a flophouse where I'd have to tie my shoes around my ankles to prevent their theft." He'd tell himself tomorrow would be better. Tomorrow he'd get a job. "All too often tomorrow didn't happen." Somehow that life became part of O 'Dea's seemingly unbelievable history. It is hard to imagine a man who has Ron Kuzyk · Oakiille Beaver achieved so much personal and commer cial success came from the streets. F ran k O 'Dea was aw arded the Paul H arris Fellowship aw ard from the Rotary Hcpedale Mall · But, perhaps it was that experience C lub of Oakville T rafalgar Friday night. which catapulted him into action. His hope was inspired from his roots. He came from a home where opportuni ties were abundant, and had siblings who loved him. O 'D ea's father was himself a Rotarian and from him learned the value of hope and of helping. "The idea of hope is the hallmark of those who help and it is what drives us SALE PRICES END SUN., FEB. 24. OR WHERE SEARS IS CLOSED, SAT., FEB. 23,2002, UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED forward." While he has a string of entrepreneur ial successes, he said the greatest satisfac tion in his life comes from working in the non-profit sector. O'Dea's street life was perhaps the impetus for his involvement as the founding chair of Street Kids International, an organization which Major Appliances are available at gives children information and tools to the following Greater Toronto locations: make better choices and create better futures for themselves. N orth O 'Dea remained active in the world Bolton Dealer Store (905) 857-4390 wide organization, that was conceived in Markham Furniture. Appliances KENMORE* LAUNDRY TEAM KENMORE 20.5-CU. FT. FRIDGE Canada in 1987, until his retirement in S Home Improvements Store Washer. 3 -c u .ft. WITH TOP FREEZER 2000. Don Mills & Steeles (905) 881-6600 Dual- A c tio n " a g ita to r. #22652 And he has since extended his arms 3 fu ll-w id th 's p illp ro o f glass shelves. Markville Shopping Centre (905) 946-1866 around the world again, this time with the Sears reg. 6 9 9 .9 9 . 549.99 2 h u m id ity -c o n tro lle d crisp e rs . Newmarket Furniture & Appliances Store Canadian Landmine Foundation. In #67152 . Sears reg. 1199.99. Yonge St & Davis Or. (905) 830-0049 Dryer. 6.5-cu. ft. #62652. 1997. just after former Foreign Affairs Available in White. Bisque and Black Ftomenade Shopping Centre (905) 731-3388 Sears reg. 5 4 9 .9 9 . 449.99 Minister Lloyd Axworthy convinced 142 Sale prices end Sun., March 10. or where Richmond Hill Furniture & Appliances Store world leaders to sign a treaty banning the Hwy. 7 and Yonge St (905) 762-0870 Sears is closed. Sat., March 9. 2002 use, production, stockpiling and transfer Upper Canada Mall Newmarket (905) 898-2300 o f anti-personnel landmines, O 'Dea Woodtxidge Furniture & Appliances Store became the founding chair of the land Hwy. 7 & Weston Rd (905) 850*406 mine organization. He's now the president and CEO and East with his unfailing drive he is asking each Oshawa Shopping Centre (905) 576-1711 Rotary club in Canada to donate $1,000. Pickering Town Centre (905) 420-8000 If he's successful, all the landmines in Scarborough Furniture & Appliances Store Bosnia will be removed. Kennedy Rd. & 401 (416) 332-8577 As a head start to their efforts, the Scarborough Town Centre (416) 2960171 Oakville Trafalgar Rotary Club donated Central $5 from every ticket sold at Friday's Fairview Mall (416) 502-3737 awards dinner, to the Canadian Landmine Foundation. O 'Dea is also asking all Gerard Square (416) 461-9092 Canadians to host a dinner party Dec. 5 Sherway Gardens (416) 620*011 -- and for that matter on the first Woodbine Shopping Centre (416) 798-3800 Thursday of every December, until every Yotkdale Shopping Centre (416) 789-1105 landmine in the world has been cleared. Allen Rd. Furniture S i Appliances Store It's called Night of a Thousand Allen Rd. & Sheppard Ave. (416) 398-9947 Dinners and it's an international fundrais W est ing success story with O 'Dea at the fore Ancaster Furniture & Appliances Store front. The concept is simple: invite Golf Links Rd. & Legend Crt (905) 304-1440 friends over to dinner and ask each for a Bramalea City Centre (905) 458-1141 monetary donation toward the landmine Brampton Furniture & Appliances Store organization. 535 Steeles Ave I (905) 455-1255 The idea attracted more than expected Burlington Furniture & Appliances Store and last year exceeded fundraising goals. Plains Rd. East S 0EW(905) 631-9655 More than $1.7 million was raised by Erin Mills Town Centre (905) 607-2300 20,000 people who held dinners in 31 Georgetown Dealer Store (905) 877-5172 countries. Hamilton Centre Mall (905) 545-4741 Over the next five years it's hoped participation numbers spiral up to one Limeridge Mall Hamilton (905) 389-4441 million people in 100 countries. Mapleview Centre Burlington (905) 632-4IH "One million people can't be ignored," Milton Dealer Store (905) 878-4104 said O'Dea. "It sill goes to prove that this Mississauga Dealer Store (905) 848-8882 still is a beautiful world." Mississauga Furniture & Appliances Store For more information about the Hwy. 5 5 403(905) 8206801 Canadian Landmine Foundation call toll Oakville Place (905) 842-9410 _ ·· free 1-866-611-7669 or visit 905 465-3499 Sears stores close to you, close to home now 9999 ® ,«m now 899" store m anagers Square One Shopping Centre (905) 270-8111 S E W IN G M A C H IN E STO RE R E P A IR S T O S IN G E R a n d a l l o t h e r m a k e s Cr m o d e l s W m. EXPERT PINKING SHEARS & SCISSOR SHARPENING M » 198 SPEERS R D . 9 0 5 -8 4 2 -2 0 3 3 Insid e O ak v ille V acuum Major appliances from Sears are Canada's Best Sellers now 579" KENMORE ULTRA WASH ELECTRONIC DISHWASHER D eluxe n y lo n racks. O uiet G uard II soun d in s u la tio n . #15762. Sears reg. 779.99. Also available in Bisque and Black now 599" KENMORE EASY-CLEAN RANGE L ift-to p co o kto p . F lu ore scent console lig h t. #62043. Sears reg. 849.99. Self-dean extra. Sale price ends Sun.. March 10. or where Sears is closed Sat., March 9.2002 now 189" KENMORE 12-AMP UPRIGHT VACUUM HEPA* filtra tio n . F lo o r brush. #30490. Sears reg. 349.99. ·High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter Based on independent national surveys current at time of advertising preparation CORRECTION NOTICE Due to an unexpected manufac turing delay the following item advertised in our February 20 March 5 flyer is not currently available. See store for availability. Toshiba Satellite 1900-OFS Sku#479446 We sincerely regret any inconvenience we may have caused you. l®/MD Major appliances online at www.sears.ca S ears O akville P lace M o n .-F ri. 9 :3 0 a m -9 Sears Furniture & Appliance Store M ississauga p m . S a t. 8 a m - 6 p m . S un.11 a m -5 p m . M o n.-F ri. 10 am -9 pm . S at. 10 a m -6 pm . Sun.11 a m -5 p m . NP0240302__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright 2002. Sears Canada Inc.