The Power of Showing Up: A Legacy Celebrated at the Chief Thomas G. Flanagan Gala
By Sonia Vani
Why is it that some of the busiest people, those who already spend their days serving the community, are often the same ones who find the time and energy to give even more?
Across Ottawa, many first responders, dispatchers, police officers, firefighters, and paramedics, devote their off-hours to volunteering with youth, often through sport and recreation. It is a powerful extension of their work, one that helps shape confidence, resilience, and belonging in the next generation.
Celebrating that commitment is at the heart of the upcoming Chief Thomas G. Flanagan Gala. But to appreciate the spirit behind the event, it helps to first understand the man whose name it carries.
Over a policing career that started in 1951 and spanned more than four decades, Chief Thomas G. Flanagan built a reputation as both a decorated officer and a principled leader.
He earned the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct in 1958 and later received the Governor General’s Star of Courage. Known early on as “Fleet-Foot Flanagan” for his speed in chasing down suspects, he rose through the ranks to become Chief of Police in 1989. Yet, the titles he may have valued most were likely far simpler: to his young athletes on the football field, he was simply “Coach.” To the youngest members in his extended family, he was lovingly called “Grandpa.” Specifically, for his grandson Staff Sergeant (S/Sgt) Avery Flanagan of the Ottawa Police Service, that legacy remains deeply personal. Now the lead organizer of the annual Gala, S/Sgt Flanagan continues to carry forward his grandfather’s example of service.
“Forget He-Man or Superman,” he says. “My superhero growing up was my grandpa.”
He recalls a moment from a family gathering when, as a young boy, he was captivated by the tools on his grandfather’s police belt. Sensing his curiosity, Chief Flanagan gently shifted his attention. The most important tool, he explained to his grandson, wasn’t on the belt at all. It was “right here,” he said, pointing to his mouth. That lesson stayed.
Today, S/Sgt Flanagan describes communication as the cornerstone of effective policing. Like his grandfather, he also gives his time to youth through sport, coaching hockey and helping shape young lives beyond the scope of his daily duties. That spirit of showing up continues across the first responder community.
Many follow a similar path, moving from formal roles in public safety to informal roles in community life, trading their radios for whistles, and their uniforms for team jerseys. In those moments, something meaningful happens. Young people learn not only how to play, but how to collaborate, communicate, persevere, win, lose, and carry themselves with dignity. And the adults who guide them often find something just as valuable in return.
As Dylan Reed, Manager of Events and Special Projects at Their Opportunity, notes, the positive impact of this kind of community service works both ways: “The benefits of volunteering are multiple and mutual,” he says. “What first responders put into working with youth through sport, they get back, and everyone finds in it a real sense of fulfilment.”
Now in its fifth year, the Chief Thomas G. Flanagan Gala recognizes that simple but powerful exchange. The event also serves as a fundraiser for Their Opportunity, a national charity dedicated to helping children overcome barriers through sport and recreation. To date, the organization has reached more than 90,000 children in over 160 communities across Canada. Last year alone, the Gala raised nearly $50,000 in support of programs that make sport more accessible, particularly at the local level.
Reed further highlights that “Funds raised from this year’s Gala go back directly into our community. Through Their Opportunity’s local sport for development programming and subsidy programs, Ottawa youth will get to participate, play and be empowered through sport and physical activity, reaching their full potential both on and off the field of play.”
Perhaps then, the answer to the original question lies in how the act of giving, especially to young people, has a way of sustaining itself. It builds connection, reinforces purpose, and creates a kind of momentum that carries forward, from one generation to the next. Eventually, the giver and the receiver become indistinguishable from one another, as in a sort of double helix of reciprocity, each reinforcing the other’s sense of self, purpose and belonging.
The Chief Thomas G. Flanagan Gala will take place at the Infinity Centre on May 30. The evening, which includes a dinner, an awards ceremony, live music and the chance to network with first responders is open to the general public. Visit https://www.theiropportunity.com/gala to purchase tickets or to support the cause.
