Power Tools

A resource for change makers and hour counters! Look here for tools and tips from Power of the Hour, Get Involved, and Volunteer Canada.

“While There’s Tea There’s Hope”

Reach out With Red Rose logo

Tea has always made a difference in people’s lives by providing warmth & inspiration. A famous British dramatist once said, “While there’s tea, there’s hope.” Now, Red Rose tea is bringing that hope to children around the world with Reach Out With Red Rose.

Being a mentor with kids.now!

Picture 3

If you knew that donating just 1.5 hours of the 168 hours you have available per week, could change 10 kids’ lives forever, would you do it? Kids.now provides programs for children in grade 7 and 8.

Jan 2010
22

Get Inspired: The 2009 Mackenzie Awards Winners!

‹ Teens Becoming the Generation of Social Change Olympic Volunteering ›

Generic AwardRunner Ups:

Andrei Bitan (age 17, Burlington, Ont)

Andrei’s support goes to New Mentality; a provincial project of youth designed to promote mental health awareness within their communities. Through advertising campaigns, presentations, focus groups and grant proposals, Andrei has helped raise over $5000 in funding for New Mentality.

Darren Cole (age 15, Toronto, Ont)

Darren has helped fill over 10,000 backpacks with school supplies for needy children, and pushed his efforts even further, when in Grade 9 he created TOPS for Teens and Kids Against Canadian Hunger, which encourages local schools to raise money for Food Banks Canada.

Jeneece Edroff (age 15, Victoria, BC)

Jeneece was born with a genetic condition called neurofibromatosis, but it certainly didn’t slow down her passion for change. When she was 3, her family got in touch with Variety, The Children’s Charity, who helped pay for a special body brace to support her spine and put off the need for surgery. Jeneece wanted to give back to the organization who had helped her, so she began collecting pennies from the students in her classroom, and before she realized it, she had raised just under $200! In just over eight years, has raised more than $1.25 million for Variety, The Children’s Charity, through an annual penny drive in January. (Check out Variety’s profile on Get Involved to learn more!)

Jenna Lambert (age 18, Harrowsmith, Ont)

Born with cerebral palsy, Jenna joined Y Knot Abilities, a program that adapts sports for children with physical disabilities and their able-bodied siblings. To help inspire others and share the experience of finding joy in sports with others, Jenna swam across Lake Ontario when she was 15, raising $240,000. But Jenna didn’t stop there. To prove that children with disabilities were just as capable (and quite possibly more motivated!) she completed a 270 km ultra-triathlon in September, raising both awareness and funds for Y Knot Abilities.

Seb Roberts (age 19, Vancouver)

Seb founded Bavubuka All(x) Sports as part of the Bavubuka Foundation, a program that connects youth with recreation to transform lives and unify diverse communities. Seb has helped collect and distribute over 2,000 pounds of sports equipment and clothing.

Jeneece Edroff said it best when she remarked “”I am a bit like a penny. By myself, I am not worth much, but with a little help and lots of pennies, you can achieve a lot. Every penny counts and even the smallest person can make a difference.”

Feeling inspired?! Read Teens Becoming the Generation of Social Change to get all the details on applying for the awards in 2010.

Pages: 1 2

Leave a Reply