Despite the labour disruption at York, Osgoode Hall Law School students are going ahead with today's charity basketball game against University of Toronto law students, with each school striving to top the other in raising the most money to help feed Toronto’s homeless and needy.
Right: Last year's charity basketball game between Osgoode and U of T was action-packed
The Second Annual Black & Blue Charity Tip-Off will pit the Osgoode Owls against the University of Toronto Blues at the Air Canada Centre (ACC) today at 12:30pm. Doors at the ACC will open at noon. Tickets are $10 each and will be on sale on the day of the game at the ACC outside Gate 1. There is also an option to pay a $40 entrance fee and get a ticket for tonight's Toronto Raptors vs. the New Jersey Nets game.
Proceeds from the Black & Blue Charity Tip-Off, which is organized by Osgoode's student-run Legal & Literary Society and the University of Toronto Students' Law Society, will help support the Law Society of Upper Canada's Lawyers Feed the Hungry Program. A total of $6,000 was raised from last year’s charity tip-off for the program, which provides hot meals to Toronto’s homeless and needy.
“Lawyers Feed the Hungry unites all members of the legal community from judges to lawyers to law students,” says John-Paul Rodrigues, president of Osgoode’s Legal & Literary Society. “In the same way, the charity tip-off unites all law students in Toronto through the joint efforts of both Osgoode and the University of Toronto.”
Sabrina Kumar, chair of the Black & Blue Charity Tip-Off Organizing Committee, added that “the Black & Blue Charity Tip-Off is an entirely student-run initiative that brings students together to raise money for a common cause, subsequently encouraging those at the beginning of their legal careers to begin helping their communities right from the start.”
Several law firms – Cassels Brock (platinum sponsor), Goodmans (gold sponsor), BLG (silver sponsor), Gowlings (bronze sponsor) as well as Blakes, Fasken Martineau, Heenan Blaikie. McCarthy Tétrault and Torys (contributors) – are helping to sponsor the charity tip-off, which will also feature a three-on-three faculty scrimmage at half-time between Osgoode and U of T professors.
This year, under the watchful eye of retired Osgoode professor and honorary basketball coach R.J. Gray, the Owls, who were beaten by the Blues last year, hope to claim the Dean's Cup. The first 300 fans will receive a commemorative "Black & Blue" T-shirt (sponsored by Cassels Brock) and will have the opportunity to win prizes such as a pair of courtside Raptors tickets (sponsored by Goodmans) and an autographed Raptors plaque (donated by the Toronto Raptors). The BLG Post-Game Reception (sponsored by BLG) will take place at the Loose Moose Tap & Grill, 146 Front St. W., at University Avenue, in downtown Toronto.