Simon's Tour of Positivity (STOP)
Simon is an Oakville high school student with a rather unusual talent... he juggles. In fact, he turned his unique skill into a thirty- minute stunt juggling show that's called STOP (Simon's Tour of Positivity). His show includes juggling knives, balls, pins, rings, the diablo (similar to a giant yo-yo) and juggling stunts using a unicycle ladders, wobble boards, etc. People of all ages really love watching Simon juggle and many say it's like watching mini fireworks (all that energy and dynamic colours).
Simon has taken STOP to entertain for a variety of not-for-profit organizations including: ErinOakKids, Halton Police Day, McMaster Children's Hospital telethon and neonatal picnic, Senaca Seniors' Daycare Program 30th anniversary celebration, the Halton and Peel Down Syndrome Association Christmas parties and year-end BBQs, Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Classic Run, Oakville's Terry Fox Run, SAVIS' Take Back the Night and Incredibowl, a variety of local seniors' residences, etc. Simon's first STOP show (for the Peel Down Syndrome Association Christmas Party) was in December 2007, and since then he has performed forty-eight STOP shows to date.
In the spring of 2009 the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration included STOP in their media campaign ChangeTheWorld (via the Web, FaceBook and YouTube) to encourage youth volunteerism across Ontario.
Simon first learned to juggle at his elementary school as part of the gym curriculum taught by Jean Marc Deneau. Simon was so keen on juggling that he put forward the idea for Pine Grove Public School and the Oakville community to attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for mass juggling. On May 11th, 2006, more than 1600 enthusiastic jugglers gathered at Oakville Place at 5:30am in their unified attempt. Although a new record wasn't set... community spirit and a carnival atmosphere abounded!
Simon enjoys learning new tricks and is constantly looking for ways to expand his show. But, what he loves most of all about performing STOP is putting a smile on someone's face!
Upcoming STOP shows:
November 22, 2009 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Halton Christmas Party
November 28th, 2009 ErinOakkids Respite Camp (53 Bond Street, Oakville)
December 6th, 2009 Peel Down Syndrome Association Christmas Party
December 15th, 2009 T.A. Blakelock -- The Center (for special needs students)
December 20th, 2009 ErinOakKids Respite Camp
December 22nd, 2009 Senaca Seniors Daycare (Palermo)
For further information please Simon Harmgardt simonharmgardt@gmail.com
Learn about Teens Organizing Local Entertainment for Seniors (TOLES) group