Over the course of summer, some exciting volunteering projects definitely occurred, such as GlobalFest, Afrikadey!, Shakespeare in the Park, ExpoLatino, and the Bow River Flow Festival! However, Camp Bonaventure spans over the whole summer, and is undoubtedly one of the most fun and unique volunteer projects available through Youth Central! Every day is different, and I definitely recommend the project, as it was both a blast and a extremely eye-opening experience for me.
Organized by the Between Friends Club, it’s the only summer camp in Calgary that provides silly and fun camp songs, enjoyable and challenge-oriented activities, and a friendly, engaging environment for individuals with disabilities. Also available to those without disabilities as well, Camp Bonaventure focuses on creating a experience of a lifetime with adventure, lots of fun and the chance to make new friends. Learn more about the camp here.
Minnows, Chipmunks, Otters,Badgers, Wolverines, Coyotes and Grizzlies, oh my! With Day troopers?! These are the names of the various age groups that campers are split into, with minnows being the youngest, and the day troopers being the oldest age group.
Did I mention we needed camp names?! When you volunteer at camp, how do you get into the spirit of exploring “the great outdoors”? Singing lots of silly but fun camp songs, and a distinctly unique camp name. Luckily, I chose my camp name before stammering, and thus was given one on the spot. Mine became NINJA, however my friend, unluckily, was thought of somewhat resembling corn, so she became CORN. Another friend became SUNFLOWER, and another DAISY. Perhaps I should have stuck with the theme of yellow plants, and been CANOLA. Oh well, because once you choose a name, you’re stuck with it for the rest of your volunteering-at-camp-life. It’s even better when you have names in your same group that just naturally form cooler words when combined. Such as an individual possessing the name SOLAR, and just for kicks, picking the name ECLIPSE, so there can be a SOLAR ECLIPSE in that group.
Worth mentioning are the awesome adventures and activities these campers get to participate in, such as: horseback riding, wall climbing, canoeing, golf, sailing, swimming, and several other activities involving arts and crafts! Although I didn’t participate in sailing and canoeing like I hoped, swimming was definitely a great experience! Reserving the entire pool that day for the use of the group, many campers proved to have excellent swimming ability, though many campers chose to faithfully stick to inflatable tubes, volunteers, staff and aids for the duration of time we spent in the pool.
Camp Bonaventure is a project that rewarded my volunteering efforts with a learning experience, like volunteering at the Drop-In Center. At first, I had to admit, I was simply petrified and nervous. I don’t encounter many people with disabilities in my daily routine and lifestyle, and this camp was the first time I’ve ever experienced them in a large group and was responsible for their care. I was frankly in a psychologically uncomfortable position. However, as the day went by, I learned most campers were happy, friendly, and quite verbal people that were rather easy to get along with. They weren’t all that different from people without disabilities, with the exception of developing and learning at a different pace. For a while, you completely miss the difference and start truly enjoying your camp experience unguarded. So I thank this volunteer experience, as it completely taught me to not simply tolerate individuals that pose different aspects from us, but to accept them as no different as you or I. I mean we all have one goal: to have fun.
So if you are in for an exhilarating adventure a or a meaningful learning experience, either way, you know, you’re going to have fun.
I have a bike, I have a river, and I have some time. What should I do with all three? Volunteer at the Bow River Flow Festival, or bike around the Bow?
The Bow River, Image Credit: Kevin Saff, Wikimedia Commons
I did both at the second annual Bow River Flow Festival, promoting self-powered transportation, environmental art, and celebratory music occurring alongside Memorial Drive. Not so long ago, this festival encouraged self-sustainability for Calgarians and other modes of transportation – not only cycling, but transit, walking, and even skateboarding. This celebration aimed to educate and engage Calgarians- even with guest speaker and Olympic medallist Kristina Groves, who gave a press conference on taking responsibility and realizing the impact her carbon footprint made. This Clean Air speed skating champion was definitely a motivational and charismatic character, encouraging myself to be aware of my own carbon footprint and reminding me of the natural beauty of the Bow River, often taken for granted by sensually-adapted Calgary.
This festival also meant to highlight and celebrate the Bow itself, as a central component of Calgary culture, recreation, leisure, attraction, and much more, being directly located in the heart of Calgary. The habitat for many ducks and geese, (not to mention a lot of fish!), rocky shores lined with dusty pebbles and bike paths, eroding shelves of soil, turbulent rapids- a perfect destination for glorious pictures and running regiments on paths harbouring beside the Bow- we sometimes forget to appreciate this river that flows through our city. So many families and individuals stopped by and joined us, invited to draw colourful and lively chalk pictures on the road, dip their feet into pails of colourful paint and decorate the sidewalks, and even participate in mini bike races along Memorial Drive! Many mayoral candidates certainly enjoyed their mini bike race they partook that day, judging from the youthful delight in their faces, and the hilarity in the general difficulties of operating a child-sized bike.
Mayoral mini bike race, Couresty of Bow River Flow
My favourite aspect of this event was when I was able to battle against a peculiar man in a red and white checker suit. The duel you ask? Well, I could hardly pass the chance to participate in one of my favourite pastimes being that of- CHESS. Hunkering down onto a quaint folding chair, and facing my opponent across a painting of a chessboard, set in a majestic gold frame, the peculiarities of playing against a man in a checker suit and on a painting did not stop there. To my surprise, I was intrigued by the fact that I had all 18 of my ebony wooden pieces to play with, but my opponent did not. He had a depleted army of seven pieces, consisting of pawns, two knights, and a lonely bishop! He had played previous games before mine, and had quaintly given his pieces away to each adversary that had dared to challenge him, acknowledging their game. With little difficulty, my oppressive and overwhelming army successfully checkmated his king, and I in succession had received an autographed chess piece (a pawn, and sitting quite respectfully on my bedroom table) as a memory of our epic chess battle.
Don’t worry, there was a subsequent lesson from this rather strange chess game, even though the man in the checkered suit wasn’t even a professional chess player! He was an advocate for the arts in Calgary, and suggested in a cryptic answer, even when probed, was perhaps the game represented the Bow River itself, the more we take away from the river, the less dividends we can expect to be returned. The more chess pieces he gave away, the less likely it was he was going to win the subsequent game.
Nonetheless the afternoon was fairly enjoyable despite the unexpected downpour, and involved many families in activities that not only engaged Calgarians, but also educated and encouraged them to “ride the drive ”- carpool, take transit, ride a skateboard, bike, rollerblade or walk instead of driving a car.
The Bow River, Image Credit: Wikipedia
For more great volunteer projects to get involved in, visit Youth Central’s website here.
Two weeks ago, my very last meeting for the summer Youth Volunteer Corps steering committee ended! With our very small group of no more than 3-4 volunteers meeting at a time, this year’s summer YVC meetings were dedicated to organizing a major project for next year’s YVC’s steering committee, Empty Bowls 2010/2011.
Empty Bowls is a project that calls for adults, youth and children in the community of Calgary to become aware of youth homelessness in Calgary and allows them to get involved. Volunteers of various ages will create fantastic and beautiful ceramic bowls at the Wildflower Arts Centre, and then auction these bowls off in a fundraising event, where fellow Calgarians will purchase tickets to a mock-soup kitchen, allowing these guests to experience and remind them of the youth that go hungry in Calgary. Every year, the YVC Steering Committee chooses the proceeds from Empty Bowls to go a different youth organization; 2009 being Yahoo Youth Housing.
The Summer YVC Steering Committee researched into potential “celebrity” scoopers for this year’s Empty Bowls, experimented with different methods to create “thank you” mosaics for our sponsors, approved potential YVC projects, and discussed redesigning the traditional “fill-a-bowl” aspect of Empty Bowls, deciding what they should look like.
Be sure to volunteer for this year`s YVC Steering Committee to get involved in this fantastic project!
For more, and how you can get involved, visit the website here.
Want to be in the know? It’s easier than ever with Facebook, which has evolved into a great social media tool for businesses to share fantastic deals for shops, restaurants, events and more. We also like Facebook because we can discover local, national and international new projects and innovative ideas.
Here’s our list of the 10 best Calgary pages to “like” on Facebook.
Why we like them: They post a list of awesome things to do in the city, suggesting activities, shopping, dining and more.
Most recent status update: #10: Stroll through a bit of nature and some great exhibits at the Calgary Zoo! This zoo features an absolutely amazing dinosaurs exhibit as well as six acres of botanical gardens! Stop by and have an adventure! If you go Sundays they have a Safari Brunch as well! What’s your favorite part about the zoo?
Why we like them: They’re a great cause and have put together an equally great Facebook page. Find contest and event information, plus pictures, videos and more.
Most recent status update: Follow us on Twitter for your chance to win a pair of tickets to this Saturday’s CFL game, Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs the Calgary Stampeders! http://www.twitter.com/calgaryfoodbank
Why we like them: The Calgary Public Library’s page is thorough and informative. They post photos, event information and fun facts about the library.
Most recent status update: More people visit the Calgary Public Library each year than attend the zoo, all museums, Heritage Park, Fort Calgary, all theatre performances, Spruce Meadows, all music concerts, the Calgary Stampede, and all professional hockey, football, baseball and soccer games combined!
Why we like them: The zoo shares information about their animals and events through their Facebook page. It’s also a good way to ask questions and get more information about the zoo’s mandate.
Most recent status update: Check out Safari Sunday Brunch at the zoo for one of the best brunch deals in town! Brunch AND the zoo for one price before noon!
Why we like them: With Chinook Centre’s ongoing expansion, this is a very exciting page to follow. We only knew that there’s going to be an Urban Outfitters and an Anthropologie in November because of this page.
Most recent status update: Have you started following Chinook Centre on Twitter yet? The 50 Days of Giveaways is underway and the prizes keep getting bigger and better! A little birdie told me when we reach 1000 there will be a BONUS prize…
Why we like them: The Telus World of Science utilizes Facebook to its fullest extent. They have polls, pictures, links to news articles, event listings, hours and more.
Most recent status update: BODY WORLDS & The Brain is entering its final weeks… The exhibit closes on Monday, September 6th. If you are planning on seeing it, see it soon. The last week will be extremely busy!
Why we like them: Youth Central’s mission is to inspire, engage and celebrate youth through community participation. The Facebook page, while it is new, is a great way to find information on current volunteer projects and photos from past events.
Most recent status update: We’re currently recruiting volunteers for Shakespeare in the Park, the Between Friends Club and more! Check out http://www.cyfc.ca/involve/projects.aspx to get involved.
Being an extremely proactive volunteer and insanely inquisitive and curious personnel, it was, I believe an early in March midnight stroll. I was ardently browsing through CYFC’s website, much like as if I was rummaging through cardboard boxes filled with the odd item here and there, examining each inspiring article with interest, and it’s no wonder then that I had eventually stumbled upon the opportunity that would lead me to meet some of Calgary’s most passionate and dedicated youths.
Eagerly sipping my early morning tea and glancing over at the small corner clock on my computer that reminded me of the hour, I also remember eagerly devouring the information available that illustrated the nature of the ConocoPhillips Youth of Distinction Awards.
“The ConocoPhillips Youth of Distinction Awards recognize deserving youth, 13-18 years of age, for the remarkable ways in which they have chosen to live. The awards are not academic rather they focus on leadership, friendship, overcoming personal challenge, and community service…”
I had read to introduce these awards, at first surprised, but delighted, to find that Calgary had provided a wonderful opportunity to recognize six individuals that were exemplary characters of: advocacy, environmentalism, leadership, peer support, perseverance, and volunteerism.
Provided below was the extremely informative, and charmingly animated video that was creatively constructed by the Youth of Distinction Awards steering committee, a group of dedicated youth that organized the event, and determined the winner of each award. But before any name tags could be created, congratulatory letters to be sent to the top three finalists of each award, and the highly anticipated awards ceremony to be held at the pleasant location of the conservatory at the Calgary Zoo, there had to be nominations written first.
As the video had suggested, I certainly had someone very special to me that I had wished Calgary to recognize, and that was for her amazing and compassionate peer support she had provided. My mentor in choir was quite unlike anyone else I’ve ever seen : insanely loud, but compassionate, highly opinionated, but empathetic and caring, Erica Ho for me was like a brightly lit, pink fluorescent shirt,- you just didn’t, and couldn’t, ignore the shirt or her.
Thoroughly impressed by the amazing and astounding nominees and the devoted and enthusiastic members of the Youth of Distinction steering committee, I am writing this article from the perspective of an admiring nominator that had screamed in joy and nearly dropped the congratulatory letter as I read Erica Ho had been chosen to be one of the top three finalist for the Peer Support award.
The nomination letter of Erica Ho had come easily to me, as I had fervently invested countless hours carefully reviewing the format of which the nomination had to be written in, reading “Tips for Writing a Great Nomination” that was thankfully provided, scrutinizing the 2009 wining recipients and their bios, and continually reviewing the criteria of the exemplary character the recipient of the Peer support nominee would have to demonstrate, as it would “be given to a youth who is a true mentor. This youth will have positively affected the life, or lives of others. The nominee will have shown empathy and compassion while lending their support.”
Another midnight endeavour, I remember energetically slipping back and forth from the crevasses of my unrestrained memories, to paper, the unfolding recount of these inspirational and rousing recollections of Erica’s encouragement and devotion. Nervously aware of the cardinal length of one page, the process of selecting specific references and examples that best illustrated Erica’s compassion and empathetic inspiration proved to be somewhat difficult, but nonetheless motivational to deliver nothing but the best nomination for her.
“Each of the three choirs possesses a handful of potential singers, with Concert choir having up to 85 inexperienced singers. With so many new additions to this choir every new semester, she does not shy away from the daunting task of assisting promising new singers reach their fullest potential. By attending afterschool tutorials and providing music lessons, from music theory to pitching one’s voice… she possesses the rare quality of believing there is potential in everyone, including myself… Being a struggling member of concert choir myself, I am fully grateful and inspired by her encouragement and devotion to helping me develop, from an unsure, shaky, and unconfident voice in music, to being able to offer and add a valuable, positive voice and presence, to the concert…” were some of the sentences I had crafted in attempts to convey, as accurate a reflection, Erica’s character.
Always the midnight hour, I confess that I was quite hesitant, at first, to submit my nomination to the Youth of Distinction Awards. Was my esteemed mentor in choir really a true mentor? Did she have a place among other empathic and admirable youths that responded to sensitive calls at the Distress Centre, or tutored and assisted mentally handicapped individuals? Only one way to find out, and sure enough, she did, as two weeks later, an invitation to the 2010 ConocoPhillips Youth of Distinction Awards Ceremony on Saturday, May 8th, with the location of the Enmax Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo, and the prospect of lunch to be provided, midnights during the process of the Youth of Distinction Awards became very happy hours for me.
The awards ceremony deemed to be a worthwhile and wonderfully organized event, as I stepped into the procession to this semi-formal event, many of the esteemed guests inviting their nominators as Erica had graciously did, and their beaming parents, and for Erica, her own inspiration, her mother.
Briefly approaching and zealously expressing my sincere admiration of the event to Kaitlin Gordon, the Program Coordinator that oversaw the execution of this event, I was delighted to be welcomed by soft jazz music, played by Western Canada High School’s Jazz Combo, that created a most pleasant atmosphere, and greeted by cute springs and yo-yos that adorned every lunch table. The neatly placed and accented springs and yo-yos were cute decorations that reminded everyone to indulge in a little childhood sense of wonder, and were nicely accompanied with celebratory and appealing programs, that presented each of the top three finalists in each category with a quote taken directly from their nominations, allowing other individuals present at the ceremony to, read the beautiful and meaningful words of their nominators, that exemplified their consideration of the nominees.
It also goes unsaid that I felt extremely privileged to be at the awards ceremony, surrounded by so many awesome youths, and as Brett Dribble, another Program Coordinator that oversees Youth Volunteer Corps in schools, was enthusiastically taking pictures of every deserving nominee and their guests.
Politely mingling and speaking with the guests situated at my table, aided with smartly added decorations of small strips of paper in quaint containers resembling Chinese take-out boxes, serving as conversation starters, the event turned out to be anything but “awkward”. Following the delightful shaking and revealing purpose of said boxes, and also the endearing welcome and also the amusing question of who has “bieber fever?” made by the Program Director of CYFC, and Emcee of the awards ceremony, Andrew Phung, and the greetings made from Penny Hume, Executive Director of Child and Youth and Friendly Calgary, and Tim Bryant, VP of External Affairs for ConocoPhillips Canada, the nervously anticipated award presentation went underway.
Chewing delicately on my superb meal of chicken and vegetables, each category began much like the glamorous and highly publicized Oscars, a condensed movie-like trailer would introduce each of the considered nominees, a representative of the Youth of Distinction Awards steering committee would step up to podium, and every individual would hold their breath until their cheeks would turn slightly blue, as the recipient of each award would be announced and loud cheering would follow as quaint trophies of a transparent green and standing model would be received.
So just what did the little program say under Peer Support?
“RBC is a proud supporter of education programs that help young people prepare for life. Congratulations to all nominees for the Peer Support Award. You are an inspiration!”
“A true mentor passes on the wish and effort to continually learn and extend their knowledge to and from others by volunteering, in this case, to educate others of the beautiful and artist expression of music, and this is exactly what [Erica] has done.” – Lisa Bui, Classmate and Nominator
“[Ellen] is an usually mature student who senses when someone is in need and consistently rises to the occasion. Throughout her time at Westmount, Ellent has time and again jumped at the opportunity to help fellow students of all ages.” – Colleen Groot, Teacher at Westmount Charter School and Nominator
“Jennie has positively impacted others by being a role model, acting as a shoulder to cry on and being a support for those at the end of their rope. She makes efforts to make people smile and bring cheer into lives lacking positivity.” – Leanna Darling, Teacher at Juno Beach Academy of Canadian Studies and Nominator
So, just before the presentation of the Peer Support award presentation occurred, Erica had lightly touched my hand and, smiling her comforting and endearing smile, said, “It doesn’t matter if I win. I don’t even think I’m going to. But the fact that you had nominated me means a lot to me.” Even when we were at an awards ceremony to recognize her compassionate character, she never fails to amaze me with her modest nature, but also being able to provide such confident empathetic and positive support in any situation. She is constantly assisting me in my character development with her kind and selfless actions and words, and is the admirable and inspirational role model of what an extraordinary person is, and I may become one day.
Alas, Erica was not the recipient of the Peer Support award and I wholeheartedly applaud the recipient of the Peer Support award, Jennie Estabrooks. However, no one truly “lost” in their respective categories, as each individual should be commended for their dedication and incredible contributions and involvement in their communities, as Barbara Simic, ConocoPhillips’s Manager of Community Investment and Volunteerism says, “…they are our leaders of tomorrow and recognizingthem today is an excellent way to encourage them to continueon their leadership journey.”
The Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC for short) is a program that provides youth-approved volunteering opportunities for youth. Volunteers sign up online for one-time projects that they can participate in with a bunch of other young people. There’s huge variety in the types of projects – everything from helping out at festivals to volunteering with the Food Bank.
Now’s YOUR chance to join the YVC Steering Committee, a.k.a. the group of youth who meet 2 times per month to choose YVC volunteer projects and help plan Empty Bowls 2011. If you’re interested, please contact Erica at yvc@cyfc.ca.
If that doesn’t sound like you’re cup of tea, but you still want to get involved, maybe you’d be interested in helping young people improve Calgary one project at a time…
The Calgary Youth Foundation is run by youth who get together 1-2 times every month to look over grant applications for youth-driven projects and programs around the city, and then gets to choose the projects to distribute grant money to. Plus, you’ll also get to work on expanding the Youth Vital Signs report. Interested? Email Ros at ros@cyfc.ca.
Both opportunities will let you work towards a greater good, get volunteer hours, and make awesome new friends. The meetings are tons of fun, and everyone here at Youth Are Awesome is sure you’ll have a great time. So, what are you waiting for? Get involved!
Slovenly dressed men, with grizzled breads and a foul disposition, glowering eyes and haphazardly dressed women with fearful temperaments- who are these stereotypical individuals that I am describing? Unfortunately, for many Calgarians, these are the pre-conceived images and notions of the homeless and needy population that overwhelm our streets, due to the distressing income disparity and current recession that Calgary is experiencing.
I recently signed up on the CYFC website to volunteer on the projects involving assisting those who are in need: Inn from the Cold and The Drop-In Center. Inn from the Cold is a facility that allows Calgarians, mainly senior men and families, a safe and secure place, where they may decide to reside if they require a stable residence. The Drop-In Center provides food and drink to many individuals that do not normally have access to hot, nutritious meals, and also allows patrons to have a chance to sit down in a safe environment, and gives them the opportunity to watch recently released movies on a very impressive widescreen, high definition, television screen.
Coming down to both shelters, entering and leaving was, frankly, the only times I felt fearful and extremely alert to and of the possible intentions of those around me. Hooded, ashen faces, with dust collected in the creases of their clothes, languidly sitting outside the shelter entrances was the first sight I perceived, and sadly, an image that our society fiercely latches onto. Upon arrival at the shelters, our volunteer group was ushered into the kitchen to perform food prep for the patrons.
At Inn from the Cold, I was in charge of packing lunches for the residents, ensuring that they received a piece of fruit, two snacks, a drink and a wholesome sandwich in the treasured, brown paper bags I prepared. Quite the enjoyable project, I also tended to the needs of residents who requested special, non- allergenic lunches to be made, taking careful note of the slicing a baby’s lunch as required. Later, sitting down in the cafeteria, gradually partaking in eating a meal with the residents that milled into the cafeteria, I noticed the atmosphere to be not one of tension, depression or wavering misery, but of a bustling, family-like environment, with all the residents passively aware of each other, with the senior men graciously clearing and cleaning up the dishes of all the inhabitants, as well as ours.
At the Drop-In Centre, our volunteer group was given the duties of food preparation: peeling potatoes (moi), cleaning and hacking away at cabbage (with noticeably loud grunts as my fellow volunteer’s knives sawed into the cabbage), chopping very juicy and fresh tomatoes (with enormously large spilling “guts” that we often joked was “bloody” juice), and the very pleasantly entertaining buttering of bread, (though there were butter knives at hand, we simply reached into a bucket, pulling out large globs of margarine into our hands, and smeared them into the loaves of bread; of course we had gloves on). The time to serving the food that we had prepared (which turned into a salad, chick peas and rice meal), I must admit I was quite frightened by the prospect of serving the needy population of Calgary. The preconceived notions of glaringly staring men and women, rude and inconsiderate, barking obscenities towards me petrified my mind. Nonetheless, I wound up standing in line, in front of the serving window, waiting with utensils to shove into the dished out meals, ready to serve and face the daunting crowd of hungry patrons. A member of the staff would raise their hand to indicate the tables we needed to serve, and so the routine occurred as such: line-up, grab utensils (in this case metal forks were replaced with disposable, plastic forks), and grab meals situated on glass dishes, the contents quickly and rhythmically plopped on with huge ladles, from huge metal containers that contained the servings; and immediately after grabbing two dishes, you had to swerve between tables and avoid trampling anyone’s bags on the ground, trying to locate the elusive raised arm that signalled the appropriate table to serve. In the line-up, I met a regular Drop-In Centre volunteer that was extremely friendly and encouraging, briefly explaining her experience at the Drop-In Center.
“I guess I’m volunteering at the Drop-In Center out of the kindness of my heart as well,” she laughs, as she just similarly asked why I chose to volunteered at the Drop-In Centre, replying with a very cheesy, but probably as close to the truth and realism as it gets, response, “and as I started volunteering here more and more, you started recognizing people and in turn, they recognized you as well.” A huge smile never left her face, as she too, started serving the patrons of the Drop-In Center and cleaning up the dishes of those embarking to leave after finishing a hearty meal.
The individuals that also used the Drop-In Centre surprised me. Not just the typical old, slouching and emaciated personnel, but teenagers that carried expensive, name brand bags and clothing, people of all ethnicities, and people that ranged in ages, who all required the services of the Drop-In Center.
I believe the experience was quite the eye-opener for me. Those sitting down to eat were polite, well groomed individuals, that never failed to give me large smiles as I in turn smiled pleasantly at them, and no obscenities were ever exchanged or thrown in the cafeteria. My preconceived notions definitely went down, as I became more comfortable interacting with my fellow Calgarians, exchanging a quick thank you and smile, realizing that I take for granted many things that the shelters were offering those in need. I guess that with many of them struggling with their lives in their attempts to survive in Calgary, the kindness a stranger may show while serving them a sufficient meal may be the only kind act and peace of mind they receive all the day, every day.
I definitely recommend for more people to, perhaps, volunteer a little of your time to help out those in need, to step out of your comfort zone and become aware of the situation many Calgarians face today. Volunteering here at the shelters has definitely encouraged me to reconsider my prejudice and judgments that I hold against the needy population of Calgary, becoming less afraid of stereotypical “hobos” and becoming less ignorant of the needs of those around me.
Besides, as me and my fellow volunteers exited the building, the patrons started to clap for us, recognizing our contributions and appreciating our efforts to perform a small act of kindness. That’s was the best thanks I had ever received, with respect to volunteering my services.
The final (official) days of Youth Week 2010 are here!
There are still a bunch of events happening this weekend, including LiveStyle: Urban Arts Festival (I heard there’s going to be a 2 on 2 bboy and bgirl battle), One Night Only at the Creative Kids Museum at the Telus World of Science (ever wanted free reign of the Science Centre? Here’s your chance!), and Empty Bowls, a youth-run mock soup kitchen event that raises funds and awareness for youth hunger and homelessness in Calgary!
There’s also a few events happening after the official dates of Youth Week (April 24 – May 2), so be sure to visit www.youthweekcalgary.ca for all the info you’ll need to take advantage of the great weather this weekend!
Each year, Youth Week Calgary partners with Canadian Blood Services (CBS) for YOUNG BLOODS WEEK, which happens during Youth Week (April 24 – May 2, 2010).
During Young Bloods Week, CBS encourages young people (17+) around Calgary to donate their blood to those who need it. Did you know that just by donated a pint of blood, you can save the lives of three people?
Check out the experience of Helen, one of our Youth Week steering committee members, as she donates blood for the first time.
Interested in donating? Here’s all the info on this awesome Youth Week event:
Event: Young Bloods Week
Held By: Canadian Blood Services
Location: Canadian Blood Services Centre Clinic (737 13th Ave. SW, Calgary, AB T2R 1J1)
Here’s what Canadian Blood Services has to say about Young Bloods Week:
Calgary youth are saving lives! Canadian Blood Services is welcoming all youth donors 17 and older to make a lifesaving blood donation during Youth Week 2010! We will special refreshments, prizes, and movies running in the clinic. Call 1-888-2-Donate to book your appointment or contact Sabrina at 403-410-2729 / Sabrina.dicintio@blood.ca for more info.
We’re halfway done Youth Week, and we let you in on what’s happening today, but there’s still tons of events to hit up during the rest of the week (don’t event get me started on the weekend…awesome!). Here’s what’s going on on April 29th:
The youth at National Philanthropy Day are spending the day getting inspired on how they can make change and practice philanthropy in our awesome city!
Feeling artsy? Come paint Pottery @ the Chill Zone – let your creativity run free, and have snacks and meet new people while you’re at it!
Did you know by donating one pint of blood, you can save three lives? Thursday marks the start of Young Bloods Week…so if you’re 17, head over to Canadian Blood Services and donate! You’ll get cool snacks and a chance to win some prizes while you’re there!
Want to celebrate the cultural diversity in our city? Head over to the Multicultural Fair at Sir John A. MacDonald Jr. High!
The Calgary Public Library is also getting in on the Youth Week action – If you head over to the Shawnessy branch, you can join in Game On! and enjoy a full night of video games…If you head over to the Village Square branch, you can share your talents, or chill and watch other youth perform at the Teen Open Mic Night!
Finally, if you’re into deep discussions about how we can make the world a better and more peaceful place, check out the Global Peace Cafe at the Crowfoot YMCA
Want more details on an event listed above? Check out the Youth Week Events page.
By now, hopefully you’ve heard about Youth Week – this awesome week (happening right now!) made just for young people in Calgary!
We’ll be keeping you posted about what to look forward to each day of Youth Week here on YAA…
On Tuesday, April 27th…here’s what’s coming up:
Finding it hard to keep up with school, work and your social life?? Well then, stop by Up in the Air!, Starting at 5pm, this awesome workshop will help you learn to juggle (literally and figuratively), so that you can balance all the areas of your life.
Are you a basketball pro? Got skills that could rival the Harlem Globetrotters? Hit up the Basketball Skills Competition happening at Westside Rec and show off your b-ball talents! It’s starting at 6:30pm…
Ready for more? Check out the full list of EVENTS on our Youth Week page!
It’s official: Youth Week Calgary officially begins today and runs until May 2nd!
There’s tons of really cool events happening for all you awesome youth out there, and today we are kicking things off with four new events:
The Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC) in Calgary is kicking off Youth Week by celebrating Global Youth Service Day – a day that encourages youth all over the world to give back to their community through volunteering. Today, the YVC is working on their ReGeneration Project – they’re planting a beautiful community garden for a youth transitional home in Calgary.
Into basketball? We let you in on a really cool tournament happening this weekend at the YMCA @ Bishop McNally High School…Hoops Extreme! is your chance to enjoy some b-ball this weekend! Whether you already signed up yourself and two friends to play in this 3 on 3 basketball tournament, or you’re just interested in popping by to sit in the stands and soak in all the action, it’s going to be a great day!
Hey all you film-lovers out there! The Cochrane Youth Association is celebrating Youth Week by holding their annual Film and Art Festival tonight at the Cochrane Ranchehouse Theatre. Filmmakers from Cochrane, Calgary and the surrounding area were encouraged to submit short films to be judged, with the results revealed tonight! Plus, there’s going to be youth entertainers performing all night!
Whether you’re a huge comic book fan, or just want to take in all the celebs that will be there, the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo is happening this weekend. There’s something for everyone at the BMO Centre both today and tomorrow, whether you’re interested in seeing Leonard Nimoy (a.k.a. the original SPOCK!) or are a Twi-hard (there will be THREE Twilight stars present this weekend), or want to meet some of your favourite sci-fi/comic book writers and illustrators – it’s an event no to be missed!
For more details on all of these events, check out Youth Week’s Events listing page – start planning your week now!
Youth Week is based on an international initiative meant to celebrate…well YOU (or, in more formal terms: youth empowerment, achievement and involvement throughout the year).
From April 24 – May 2, 2010, different businesses, agencies and organizations around Calgary come together to host events, projects and offer free services during a week long celebration of youth. There’s tons of events – we’re talking youth nights, concerts, sports tournaments, and tons more - happening during Youth Week that are super cheap or free. Plus, word on the street is that you can win cool prizes at many of the events.
Want to know more? Look up or to the side – Youth Week’s online home is on YouthAreAwesome.com! Go to the Youth Week page to check out all the events that you can go to and other cool things happening during the week. New events will be added almost every day leading up to Youth Week, so make sure to check back often!
That’s right, guys! You have the chance to save a persons life–in fact, you can save three people’s lives. People suffering from cancer or car accidents are depending on blood from donors. Think about it: one hour of your time can add years to another person’s life. The CBS Youth Week Event is called Young Blood’s Week. It takes place between April 24th and May 7th. Be sure to check it out!
If you are 17 or older, you can donate blood now. Check out the video posted below for some information about donating blood. The Canadian Blood Services building is located at 737 13th Avenue SW. If that seems too far, don’t worry. They have lifebuses to take people to the clinic.
P.S. Keep checking back for another awesome and informative video that virtually takes you through the entire process of donating blood.
The Calgary Youth Foundation, one of CYFC’s many programs, is a group of youth volunteers responsible for distributing grants to “youth-driven projects” during two granting cycles a year. In the November cycle, local all-ages venueComrad Sound was given a grant to help renovate their space to be more readily usable by the Calgary youth community.
Comrad Sound is run by an all-star volunteer team that has included members from other local projects and events such asSled Island and Imaginary Ordinary, and offers its venue for a wide array of activities that enable the community to share “music, art, knowledge, and skills”.
Their website features a calendar packed with opportunities for youth throughout the city to get together and interact. One of the more interesting events on the April calendar is the book, music, movies, and video games sale. Basically an open-ended communal garage sale for youth that will be happening all-day this Saturday, April 17th.
And those of you following our Perspective series will be interested in the two photography workshops taking place on Sunday April 18th and 25th, and led by local photographers Randy Gibson (he’s done work for Sled Island, The Uptown, and FFWD) and Stalman (he took these for us). At $5 it’s a really neat way to brush up on your photography skills from some of the local best, and hang out with some other youth with similar interests. To register, fire them an e-mail at class[at]rgibsonphoto.com.
But if you can’t make it out this month, keep your eyes peeled for a new line-up of events in May.
Movies getting too expensive for your budget? Feeling nostalgic?
We have a solution for you!
This Wednesday, head to Deerfoot Mall for a unique drive-in movie experience. They’re showing Alice in Wonderland in the parking lot on a massive inflatable screen, and the sound comes through on your FM car radio. Admission is free, but they accept [...]
On Nov 4th, 2001 a movie that amazed everyone was presented and that’s “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”. Over 10 years later this movie is still adored by many young people and is finally coming to an end. Joanne Kathleen Rowling wrote the last book of Harry Potter and the movie is coming out. [...]
Going to the movies is one of our favourite ways to amuse ourselves nowadays. They’re fun and can also help reduce stress.
Over the last few months, Avatar was HUGELY discussed by EVERYONE. It got a lot of high praise for the awesome 3D graphics and in-depth story.
But this month…guess what? The most-talked about film has become Alice in Wonderland!
This movie is 3D as well, and the story [...]
Last week, the nominees for the 82nd Academy Awards were announced. By the looks of the nominees, it seems that the Academy (of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) is making an effort to appeal to the general public more than in previous years. James Cameron’s Avatar is tied for the most number of nominations (nine [...]
