Dancing Gabe fundraiser hopping

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This article was published 29/06/2023 (828 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitobans are opening their hearts and wallets for a fundraising campaign that aims to ensure Gabriel (Dancing Gabe) Langlois is taken care of in the future.

The fundraiser was set up by the Ace Burpee Show to give the Langlois family peace of mind and ease potential financial burdens when it comes to his long-term care.

More than $36,000 had been raised as of Thursday afternoon.

“He’s been such a happy person and he’s been a big supporter of the community,” said Leigh Robinson, co-owner of Robinson Lighting, which donated $1,000 to the fund. “He’s done a lot for Winnipeg.”

The donation was personal for Robinson, who has a loved one with a disability and used to work for Freedom Concepts, which builds adaptive tricycles for people with limited mobility.

“I’m happy lots of people are supporting him,” she said.

Langlois, who has autism, has become a local celebrity through his decades of dancing and greeting fans at professional sports games in Winnipeg.

The 60-year-old St. Vital resident’s long-term care plan is unclear, his sister and primary caregiver Claudette Langlois told the Free Press this week.

She is worried about what will happen to him if something happens to her, if his needs change or if his family is unable to provide primary care.

Burpee’s 103.1 Virgin Radio morning show launched the fundraiser Tuesday after Claudette shared her concerns with the host and executive producer Amber Saleem.

Many Manitobans were eager to help.

“I don’t see this so much as giving something to Gabe, I see it more as paying him back for what he’s given to us,” said Winnipeg resident Tom Pearson, who donated $100. “He has provided a lot of excitement and got crowds going at games. It’s a form of volunteerism.”

For Robinson and many others who’ve been going to Blue Bombers football games since a young age, Langlois has always been there to dance, high-five after a touchdown and pose for pictures.

“You can’t remember a time without him,” she said.

Blue Bombers president and CEO Wade Miller will make a personal donation to the GoFundMe page, a team spokesman said.

“Gabe is an iconic figure in the Winnipeg sports scene and makes a positive impact on our community every time he steps into a sporting venue here in Manitoba,” Miller said in a statement. “Fans, staff and players alike love seeing him in the stands for Blue Bomber and Valour FC games as he has come to be a beloved extension of our team.

“His smile and his dancing are infectious, and I personally love running into Gabe on game days knowing he will always leave me feeling uplifted and excited for the game ahead.”

For many, it’s hard to imagine going to a sporting event in Winnipeg and Langlois not being there, said Ralene Neufeld, chief financial officer of Rodren Drilling.

“When you go to a game, you look for him,” she said.

The West St. Paul drilling company donated $1,000 to the campaign.

Its staff often encounter Langlois at events at Canada Life Centre, where Rodren Drilling has a premium suite, or an annual company outing to a Goldeyes baseball game.

“Gabe is part of all of our lives here, and I think he is a wonderful ambassador for the city,” said Neufeld. “If this is one way we can help out, we’re happy to do that.”

Claudette Langlois has thanked Manitobans for donating to the fund.

She said the money will be placed into a registered disability savings plan in her brother’s name.

Langlois’ only source of income is provincial employment and income assistance, and the family has limited means and savings to plan for his future, his sister said.

The fundraiser is helping to raise awareness about existing and limited supports that are available to Manitobans with intellectual disabilities.

Suzanne Swanton, executive director of Winnipeg-based Continuity Care, said some adults with disabilities, such as autism, can “fall through cracks in the system” if they don’t meet eligibility criteria for financial support or services, or if they encounter waiting lists or a lack of funding.

“This causes additional stress, concerns and worries for the parents, siblings, family members and caregivers,” she said.

Swanton said the exact number of Manitoba children and adults who have intellectual disabilities is not known because it is hard to track.

A 2017 federal survey found 234,190 people in Manitoba who are aged 15 and over live with a physical, intellectual, mental health-related or other type of disability.

The results of a 2022 survey are not yet available.

Thousands more children under 15 live with a disability, said Swanton.

In 2021-22, the province’s Community Living disABILITY Services assisted 7,692 eligible adults who live with intellectual disabilities, says Manitoba Families’ latest annual report.

Children’s disABILITY Services provided supports to 6,687 eligible kids who have developmental or physical disabilities.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching