Variety Village Honours George Gross

By Don Goodwin

Sports Media Canada president George Gross has a shelf-ful of honours. The latest is certainly dear to his heart.

Variety Village recently honoured George at a special breakfast in the Variety Village field house in Eastern Toronto. 250 Variety Village supporters and friends turned out for the jolly occasion which Variety Village organized as a strong demonstration of their appreciation for George’s dedication to the growth and development of The Children’s Charity over the years. Largely through his efforts under the umbrella of the Toronto Sun Fund — a million dollars has been raised which has built a swimming pool, helped operate a summer camp and supported an international wheelchair basketball team.

A half dozen speakers both praised and ‘roasted’ the dean of active Toronto sportswriters to the delight of the assembly, which was sprinkled with sports and business celebrities from as far away as Atlanta, Georgia and included Toronto Maple Leaf icon Red Kelly, Tennis Canada president Michael Downey, Paul Godfrey, Paul Beeston, Paul Tracy, George Cohon and many, many other notables.

Gross & Clemens

Honoree George Gross and Mike Clemmons


Sports Media Canada Executive Vice President Don Goodwin was one of the ‘roasters’, as was Argo coach Mike Clemmons.