Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, Rapport, Issue One 2005

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada
Issue One 2005
AIM Trimark
Invests in Bowl for Kids Sake!
Photo: Bowl for Kids Sake rolls out from February
through April in a community near you!
Visit www.bowlforkidssake.ca and
register to bowl or sponsor a bowler
CISCO Systems
Connects Canada’s Kids
Alumni
on Parliament Hill!
New Programs
g
Fuel Agency Growth
Calgary’s Between Generations
CIBC Youthvision
Sudbury Little Brother
Awarded Scholarship
ent’s C
ir
Pr
CIBC
AOL CANADA
RBC FOUNDATION
BMO FINANCIAL GROUP
CISCO SYSTEMS INC.
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA
THE KEG SPIRIT FOUNDATION
THE MUTTART FOUNDATION
MASTERCARD CANADA
AIM TRIMARK
c le
Sh
id
es
Connecting Canada’s
Ca
Kids!
C
isco Systems Canada
recently launched a
unique partnership
between Big Brothers Big
Sisters of Canada and Boys
and Girls Clubs of Canada that
will help to connect member
agencies across Canada. By
harnessing Cisco’s human
and technological resources,
Cisco will be helping Big
Brothers Big Sisters of Canada
and Boys and Girls Clubs of
Canada realize the benefits
of an Internet Protocol (IP)
Communications network,
touching the lives of 170,000
children in 800 communities
across the country.
This state-of-the-art
communications technology
will enable Big Brother Big
Sister agencies to hold elearning training sessions,
video conferences and
collaborate through online
resources. “We are excited
about the potential of the
Cisco Canadian Children’s
Alliance to strengthen the
ability of our staff and
volunteers to help children in
need,” states Trish Barbato,
Chair of the Board for Big
Brothers Big Sisters of
Canada. “E-learning is just
one example of how stateof-the-art communications
technology can empower and
strengthen our organization.
2
Cisco Systems building coast-to-coast
network to connect Canada’s children
With a national network
that supports e-learning we
could quickly and effectively
train thousands of staff and
volunteers in our 170 local
agencies across Canada.”
Implementation of the Cisco
Canadian Children’s Alliance
includes three distinct phases
including the installation
of Cisco Secure Agent (CSA)
to help agencies protect
against online viruses and
attacks, establishing network
architecture to support video
conferencing, and eventually
launching secure e-learning
and video conferencing.
This implementation process
is expected to take up to
three years. Ultimately,
these unique technological
capabilities will help our
organization enhance
knowledge management and
best practice sharing.
In addition to donating
their technological expertise,
Cisco will be working with
Big Brothers Big Sisters of
Canada in numerous other
areas including leadership
involvement, fundraising
and volunteer assistance.
“We’re very grateful to be a
part of the Cisco Canadian
Children’s Alliance,” states
Harry McAvoy, Vice President
of Advancement at Big
Brothers Big Sisters of Canada.
“Connecting member agencies
from coast-to-coast will
be a revolutionary step for
our organization, and the
possibilities are endless. This
is a very exciting partnership
for Big Brothers Big Sisters of
Canada and we’re proud to be
working with Boys and Girls
Clubs of Canada to achieve
a common goal of helping
Canada’s youth reach their full
potential.”
We thank Cisco Systems
Canada for reaching out to
support Canada’s children. Big
Brothers Big Sisters of Canada
is proud to list Cisco Systems
Canada as a member of our
President’s Circle.
Between
First Calgary Savings and Big Brothers and Big Sisters
of Calgary and Area team up to bring smiles to
children under its new Between Generations program.
Generations
B
etween Generations is an in-school
mentoring project that matches children
with volunteer senior mentors. It is the
result of a co-operation between First Calgary
Savings and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of
Calgary and Area, and it is bringing smiles to
young children throughout our city.
“The little boy I work with is in Grade 2. Cute
as a button. He’s a bit quiet right now, but
loves to play games. When I first started to
play games with him, I was going easy so he
could win and build up his ego. But that little
rascal can beat me now even when I’m trying,”
says Lynn Nishimura, a Between Generations
volunteer at Falconridge School.
If Lynn’s name sounds familiar, it is
because until last year she was the official
spokesperson and chair of the Calgary
Board of Education. Prior to that, she was
a school board trustee for six years and
a schoolteacher until she retired in 1998.
What prompted her to switch the Board’s top
position for mentoring two children?
“It was time for a change. I just felt I wanted
more time for myself and my family,” Lynn
says. “As a trustee, you’re making very global
decisions that have a huge impact on the
system. The nice thing about this is that you’re
having impact on one person. So it’s very, very
different, but you still have a connection with
the education system and the kids.”
When Lynn heard about Between
Generations, she liked the idea right away,
especially since Falconridge School was close
to home and she already had a connection to
it (her granddaughter attends). She called Big
Brothers and Big Sisters and they arranged
for her student matches, selected by teachers
on the basis of who they thought may benefit
from interacting each week with a mentor.
And the rest has been playtime.
Between Generations isn’t specifically about
helping children with their math or science. It
is about spending time with a child – much like
grandparents do with their grandchildren. It
is about a non-critical, accepting and positive
adult having fun, playing games, telling stories
or making scrapbooks each week, rain or shine,
with an elementary student.
“I think there is something that happens
between an older adult and a younger child,”
Lynn says. “There is a special kind of bond
there that is different from the parent bond.
continued on page 4...
3
Between Generations...cont’d
Certainly not as important,
but it’s a different kind of a
relationship. It’s not somebody
who has expectations about
what the child should be.”
And the benefits go both
ways. When Lynn worked as a
teacher, her school ran a parent
volunteer program. She recalls
roping in her own parents
each year and seeing the joy
it brought them and the sense
of being needed by someone
outside of the family.
Volunteer Program when it
was facing budget cuts. The
program ran at a very grassroots level for nearly a decade,
but we were finding it difficult
to support and grow the
program. Two years ago, we
began to look at how we could
take that program to the next
level. So we sat down with Big
Brothers and Big Sisters, whose
expertise in the mentoring
field we highly respect.”
day, every child will have a
Between Generations mentor.
Ultimately, the success of
Between Generations comes
down to its volunteers. The
main challenge of growing the
program is finding volunteer
mentors. The need is always
there. But some seniors may
think, “I’m not a teacher. What
can I do?”
To this, Lynn says, “The only
thing you need to bring is a
The age-old practice of
ew Programs like Calgary’s Between Generations help to fuel
mentoring appears to be
agency growth. By embracing new ways to provide mentors to
gaining in importance in
children, Big Brothers Big Sisters can meet our strategic goal of
our culture once again.
serving 100,00 children and youth by our 100th anniversary in 2013!
Among organizations that
promote mentoring, Big
Sharon Moore, executive
Brothers and Big Sisters of
love of children and be willing
director,
Big
Brothers
and
Big
Calgary and Area celebrates a
to spend the time.”
Sisters
of
Calgary
and
Area,
says
long history of the profound
We can never know the full
impact a caring adult has on a Between Generations is the result value of a caring mentor to a
younger person. Similarly, First of two organizations sharing a
child. But there are stories.
similar passion: “First Calgary
Calgary Savings’ reputation
They are told by parents and
Savings had the vision for the
in the city goes beyond its
by teachers. They tell of how
financial strength. It is known original grandparent program
the child pays more attention
for its commitment to learning and the experience with it, and
in class, how he or she has
we formalized the process.”
and to children.
gained in confidence, how he
This
or she is happier.
Story by Paul Stastny, originally presented in the Calgary First Savings pooling
“For me, the highlight is
2004 Annual Report. Abridged version reprinted with permission. of skills
walking into a classroom very
has
quietly and looking over the
given the program its successful
Janice Iverson, manager of
sea of kids, trying to pick
launch last year. With the
community investments at
out my little one,” Lynn says.
pilot of 30 children and fifteen
First Calgary, explains how
“Then suddenly, he’s standing
grandparents matched in four
Between Generations came
in front me. A big smile on his
about: “Years ago, First Calgary schools throughout the city
face. You know he’s excited
at the end of 2004, Sharon
Savings stepped forward to
about being with me, and I’m
take on the CBE’s ‘Grandparent expects to triple those numbers feeling the same.”
in 2005. The goal is that, one
N
4
AIM
Trimark
Invests
in
Canada’s
Kids
AIM Trimark making magic happen with Bowl for Kids Sake support
B
ig Brothers Big
Sisters of Canada is
thrilled to add AIM
Trimark Investments to its
list of generous corporate
partners supporting Canada’s
children. AIM Trimark has made
a substantial commitment to
be the national partner of
our Bowl for Kids Sake event.
Bowl for Kids Sake is one
of Big Brothers Big Sisters
longest running fundraisers
and as a national partner,
AIM Trimark is supporting this event
in a number of unique ways.
The support of AIM Trimark has
enabled Big Brothers Big Sisters of
Canada to hire a full-time Bowl for
Kids Sake Director who will work to
support member agencies across Canada
with their events. The partnership
has also helped us develop various
branded marketing materials like
posters and pledge sheets and will
help us secure national media coverage
for the event in the coming years.
One of the most promising aspects of
the partnership is the support of a new
fundraising vehicle – online pledging and
registration. A number of agencies across
Canada are now using an online system
whereby bowlers participating in a Bowl for
Kids Sake event can register online and solicit
donations via email and the Internet! Using
an online system often raises the average
donation a donor contributes, resulting in
greater revenue for the agency. Ultimately,
the more funds
member agencies
are able to raise
through their
Bowl for Kids
Sake events, the more children they are able
to serve. Judith Brunt, Fund Development
Manager at Big Brothers Big Sisters of the
Okanagan says the success of their Bowl for
Kids Sake event will be greatly impacted
by online donations this year. “I really
feel that the money our teams have raised
continued on back cover...
5
Moments to Remember
Shy Girl
O
n November 11, 2004 17year-old Leah Gould stood
by herself to perform a
Remembrance Day monologue. No
one in the audience was prouder
of her, than her Big Sister of more
than seven years, Debbie Hutchins.
“That was amazing,” said Debbie
of watching her Little. “She’s
heavily involved in drama, and
I’ve seen her perform for her
church and for school, but that
was just great.”
The Stoney Creek (Ontario) News
ran a picture of Leah reading her
monologue in their Remembrance
Day feature, but according to
Leah’s mom, Ann, she hasn’t
always been the confident young
lady in the picture.
Before Debbie became her Big
Sister, Ann said, Leah struggled
to make friends.
“She didn’t really have a lot of
friends back then. She would kind
of come on too strong or try to
bribe them. She would do things
like say ‘I’ll bring some candy if
you come out and play with me.’
Now she jokes about it and says
she tried to buy friends.”
Debbie and Leah were officially
matched in March 1998, but knew
each other previously through
other Big Sisters functions. Deb was
involved in the volunteers’ activities
committee, but didn’t have her own
Little Sister because she felt she
couldn’t commit the time.
When Leah asked Debbie to be
her Big Sister she told Deb that
time wouldn’t be a factor.
6
“We met at the Santa Claus
parade,” Leah recalled. “She was
a Sister for a Day at the time. On
the way back she drove me home
and I asked her if she wanted to
be my Big Sister. She said she
wouldn’t be able to spend enough
time, and I told her if she was
mine, she wouldn’t have to.”
Deb remembers that same car ride,
and said she was won over by how
cute and sincere Leah was.
“She asked me how come I didn’t
have a Little Sister,” Debbie
said. “I told her that I was really
busy with work and stuff. I can
remember she looked at me and
said, ‘Oh, that’s so sad.’ And I
thought to myself, it is kind of
sad. So the next day I went to see
if I could get paired with her.”
The next step was, naturally,
to get mom’s approval, and Ann
said after her first meeting with
Debbie, she thought she was
seeing double.
“After our first meeting, I got to
tell you, I thought it’s like talking
to an older Leah. Just the things
that came out of her mouth were
so-Leah. I knew from the getgo that she would be a positive
influence in her life,” Ann said.
Debbie soon started to try to
find outlets for Leah’s seemingly
endless energy.
“She’s really bubbly,” Debbie
said. “She’s not the type of kid
who’s just going to sit there and
draw something. She more active,
more hyper.”
Leah joined Debbie in helping at
various Big Sisters’ events, and got
a chance to show a more mature
side of her personality.
“She’s helped run our special
events for the girls. Summer
games and stuff like that so she’s
shown some leadership—she’s
gotten more experience with life
issues,” Debbie said.
Leah also was given much needed
support and encouragement to
take up such hobbies as karate and
drama. While her mom was always
supportive, she said hearing it from
someone else made a huge difference.
“My mom always encourages me,
but it wasn’t quite good enough.
There was something missing.”
Debbie also found herself growing
because of the friendship. She
said Leah’s youthful perspective
was a welcome change.
“I’ve learned how to calm down.
Everything used to be so fast
paced, but when I’d be with her
things were simple. . . she just
wanted to hang out at my place
and make tacos, and that’s so
refreshing.”
Though the official match will
end with Leah’s eighteenth
birthday in August, their
friendship will continue. Debbie
said she hopes someday Leah will
follow in her footsteps and help a
little girl who needs her.
“The greatest compliment she
could pay me is to go out and
become a Big Sister herself some
day, and then maybe even have
her Little do the same.”
Story written and compiled by Ryan
LeClaire, Young People’s Press
ALUMNI
News
Alumni Big on the Hill
F
ormer Big Brother and Alumni member, Deputy
Conservative Party Leader, Peter MacKay hosted a
Big Brothers Big Sisters reception on Parliament Hill
in February. The reception was sponsored by MasterCard
Canada and was a great success, giving tremendous
visibility to
Big Brothers
Big Sisters.
Big Brother Bart, Little Brother Paul, and MP
Peter MacKay meet on the Hill.
Trish thanks the folks from TELUS, the KEG, and
MasterCard for their support in making the day
a BIG success.
Trish, MP Lloyd St Amand and Gerry Rudnik,
Board Member for Big Brothers of Brantford, ON.
The
reception
honoured
Members of
Parliament
whose
exceptional
support of
BBBSC Board Chair Trish Barbato thanks MP Brian Masse.
mentoring
has made a profound difference to the Big Brothers
Big Sisters agency in their local communities, like:
Peter MacKay
Ray Bonin
Ken Boshcoff
Joe Comuzzi
Gerald Keddy
Guy Lauzon
Joe Preston
Brian Masse
Lloyd St. Amand
Alexa McDonough
Mike Savage
Anne McLellan
Paddy Torsney
Peter Milliken
Proud BBBS Alumni sponsors, TELUS and the Keg
Spirit Foundation participated in the recognition
ceremony, giving each honoured member both a
certificate of appreciation as well as an Alumni pin.
On behalf of Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Alumni
program we would like to extend our deepest gratitude
to Mr. MacKay for being a “Champion” of Big Brothers
Big Sisters and for hosting such an incredible event.
Additionally, thank you to all Members of Parliament
and staff members who attended the event. Your
commitment to Canada’s children is inspirational
as we aim to serve 100,000 children by 2013.
7
ALUMNI
Our Vision:
“Every Child in Canada Who Needs a Mentor
...Has a mentor”
Why should
i
join
ni ?
m
u
l
A
the
Stay Connected
and stay informed.
By doing so, you’ll help find the volunteers needed
to match 10,000 Canadian girls and boys waiting for
a mentor.
Listen to Stories from across
Canada from former Littles, Bigs, and
friends.
Learn About Events
and activities that concern you!
Visit www.bbbsc.ca and
click ALUMNI—Join
I
Today!
Development of Big Brothers Big Sisters Alumni has been sponsored by:
8
Best Man
ALUMNI MOMENT
man’s wedding day is as
stressful as any he will ever
encounter. Fortunately for
Brian Arens, on his big day he had
the support of his Big Brother.
A
friendship.’ That really shocked
me,” MacIntosh said.
downstairs and I was to sleep
upstairs,” Arens said.
Arens said he also remembers
that day and was not willing to
lose the friendship.
The decision to have Bill
MacIntosh stand by him as best
man and emcee in February was
easy, said Arens, matched with
the Edmonton man almost 17
years ago.
“At that time I was secure
enough in our friendship to shed
the labels. He offered to have Big
Brothers set me up with someone
else, but I was happy with Bill.”
“I went downstairs to say
goodnight to her. On the way
back up, the door to get back
upstairs was either locked, or
stuck. I was trapped downstairs.
“A lot of things were going
through my head while I was
up there, saying the vows and
things like that. But the whole
time, in my mind, I knew Bill
was there for me. There is
nobody I’d rather have.”
Arens, paired with MacIntosh at
age 10, said his first impression of
his Big Brother was the same as
how he would describe him now.
“I’d say that much of what I
though about Bill when we first
met is much of what I think of
him now. Very kind, giving and
attentive. Man, I talked his ear
off the first night.”
Their friendship grew to the
point that after several years
they decided to step out of the
Big Brothers Program. MacIntosh
said he found he had less time
to spend with Arens, and vividly
remembers how scared he was
to tell him he could no longer
continue.
“I remember I told him I just
didn’t have the time to commit
anymore. He just sat there for
a second with a very quiet,
somber look on his face.
“After a few seconds he looked
at me and deadpanned, ‘You
know what? This half-day stuff
is too much for me too. I’m too
busy too. But I want to keep this
They agreed to spend as much
time together as either could
offer. MacIntosh said that was a
crucial step for the friendship to
grow.
“That’s when it went beyond
protocol. It was when we stopped
being official that it became
more grounded in personal
commitment. The whole thing has
been a part of my own growth. It
isn’t about just giving your time.
You’re changed by the process.”
Over the years the friendship
has brought both men’s families
together and has acted as what
MacIntosh called, “one of those
anchor relationships for both
families.”
“I consider them my family,
all of them,” Arens said of
MacIntosh’s daughter and wife.
“I didn’t know what to do. I
was really worried about what
Bill would think… So I wrote
him a letter and slid it under
the door. I wanted to let him
know I’d done everything in my
power to get back upstairs.
“Naturally, the next day the door
wasn’t locked and they sort of
didn’t believe me,” Arens said.
MacIntosh said he surprised
Arens by telling the story,
and surprised him further by
bringing and reading the letter.
“I think he was stunned when
I was able to produce the actual
letter he wrote and read it to
the guests.”
With Arens now living with his
wife in Stratford, Ontario, the
two men don’t get to spend as
much time together. However
McIntosh said they are still close
and thankful for any time they
can spend together.
MacIntosh said the same
of Arens’s wife, Sara. As the
wedding’s emcee he reflected
on their first meeting, and
took the opportunity to tell an
embarrassing story about his
former Little Brother.
“We really appreciate the little
things. It’s family. It’s playing
tennis. It’s playing Scrabble.”
Arens remembers the story
well, and said the two have
different versions.
“I have no doubt in my mind we
will be friends as long as we both
are on this earth. Being apart
doesn’t change our friendship; it
just changes where we are.”
“Sara and I were staying with
Bill and his wife, and Bill made
it very clear Sara was to sleep
Arens shares his Big Brothers
sentiments, and said distance
will never be a factor in their
friendship.
This Alumni Moment was compiled by
Ryan LeClaire, Young Peoples Press.
9
ALUMNI MOMENT
Kevin’s Story
I
was told that DJ, age 10, was an
‘energetic’ kid and I usually like to be on
the go so I thought it would be a perfect
match. He was a little shy and nervous (that
made two of us) when we first met but I could
tell within minutes that we would become great
friends.
As we drove to a local ball game he filled
me in on the highlights of last years hockey
season and his future plans of balancing his
careers of goalie for the Toronto Maple Leafs
and pro skateboarder.
I saw the ‘energetic’ part kick in pretty soon
and we were doing all sorts of things—playing
catch, road hockey, video games, carving
pumpkins, spending a day at the carnival,
playing golf and jumping on the trampoline.
He’s always running around the house when
I get there and is ready to get at whatever we
have planned for the day.
His grades continually get better and this
last report card was fantastic—he’s a budding
genius! I was so proud of him when he
decided to get a paper route and was inspired
to see him get up so early every morning and
then spend the money on things that he really
wanted.
People always ask if my ‘little’ is thankful
for all that I do for him. The only thanks
that I will ever need is the smile that I see
on his face when we are together. I don’t
really think that I do that much for him, but
he has taught me a lot and enriched my life
tremendously.
10
Another hockey season is starting and I’m
looking forward to watching him play and in
the years to come, watching him grow up.
My second Little Brother Dylan is a pretty shy
guy, just like I was growing up, so I connected
with him pretty easily. He’s a smart kid who
loves to tell stories and each week I’m treated
to stories about what happened in school and
at home, what his dog Princess is up to and
how his grandparents, sisters, nieces, nephews,
cousins and any other family members he can
think of are doing.
He’s a little more laid back and just enjoys
hanging out at the park or playing a game
and making supper at my house. For special
events we head over to Ruckers for an evening
of games, prizes and laughter. I love watching
him tear around the building looking for the
next big victory. I’m always amazed at how
polite he is when we hang out and I’m proud
to have him along with me wherever we go.
He’s always quick to say thank-you when we
do anything together and always leaves the
car with a smile and a wave.
I’m so thankful to the awesome staff at Big
Brothers Saskatoon for matching me with DJ
and Dylan. I’ve made two good friends and
I look forward to seeing them every week. I
encourage all the guys I know to phone the
office and get some more information on
becoming a Big Brother—I know that it would
make a huge difference in the life of a really
special boy.
Story Submitted by Kevin Dyck through the Alumni
website: visit www.bbbsc.ca and click on alumni!
U
nlike most youth his
age, Brian Ross has his
summers planned for the
next half-dozen years or so.
Ross, 16, a Grade 11
student at MacdonaldCartier Secondary School in
Sudbury, Ontario, will be
an intern at the YMCA for
the next six summers for
being awarded a $35,000
Youthvision scholarship.
“I was pretty shocked to
have won and be one of 30
across Canada—Mom and I are
pretty excited about it,” says
Brian, on receiving one of the
scholarships from the program
sponsored by the Canadian
Imperial Bank of Commerce
for youth in Big Brothers
or Big Sisters programs.
Youthvision, started in
1999, features a partnership
between Big Brothers Big
Sisters of Canada and YMCA
Canada in which winners are
assigned a coach to help them
choose what they will do at
their local YMCA and prepare
them for career choices.
“I guess I worked hard for
it. I work hard in school
and I worked hard preparing
my application for the
scholarship,” says Brian, who
was encouraged last December
by Big Brother staff member
Chantal Gladu to apply.
“I am very proud of him.
He’s a good kid and he gets
honours in school. He enjoys
being a positive role model
to other Little Brothers.
I think he deserves the
recognition,” says Sue Ross,
Brian’s mother, adding that
his hard work inspired her
to volunteer with him for
various community events.
“Brian is an exceptional
young man,” says Gladu.
“He volunteers to assist
me with our Out In The
Cold program during winter
months, where we serve
warm meals to the homeless
and needy. He also speaks to
other Little Brothers at the
agency, helping to motivate
them. His mom tells me
that he baby-sits some kids
in his neighbourhood and
one has cerebral palsy.
“But that’s the way he is.
“He’s the type of guy who
looks out for younger kids,
who calmly resolves conflicts.
He’s gentle, quiet, and hard
working,” Gladu says.
Brian’s second Big Brother,
Lucien Lapalme says he
is pleased to have Brian
as his Little Brother.
“Brian is a super polite
kid, with his priorities
straight and a winning
smile,” Lapalme says.
“Though I’ve been Lucien’s
Little Brother for only three
months now, I think he’s a
great guy. When we spend
time together, we play pool
or computer games or soccer.
I love soccer. It’s one of my
favourite sports,” Brian says.
Sue says she is glad that
Brian joined Big Brothers in
1998. He lacked a male role
model in his life and, she
says, Big Brothers gave that
to him, making a big change
in Brian’s personality.
“Brian’s a different Brian
today. He’s more confident,
with more self-esteem, and
overall more happy,” she says.
Though he isn’t sure whether
he’ll go to university or college
or what he’ll study, Brian says
that’s where the money will
be spent and he will definitely
do something he will enjoy.
In the meantime, Brian
says he looking forward to
feeding his sports addiction
by refereeing minor hockey
this winter and spending
more time with his mother
and Big Brother Lucien.
Story compiled by Marcel
Penton, Young People’s Press
1
11
con’td from page 5
...AIM Trimark Invests in Kids
online will turn out to be
additional money, over and
above our traditional pledge
book method. We have had
donations from Toronto,
the United Kingdom and
even Australia and I’m fairly
certain our bowlers would not
have solicited those pledges
without the online capability,”
Brunt states. Online donations
are quickly becoming the way
of the future for fundraising
and we are extremely excited
to have the support of AIM
Trimark for this new initiative.
This national partnership will
help to ease the burden on
member agencies by providing
support and materials for
their signature event, allowing
agencies to focus their scarce
resources on other aspects
of the event and specifically,
raising more funds. This will
help them serve more children
in their communities. AIM
Trimark’s contribution will
also extend beyond Bowl for
Kids Sake. Employees in AIM
Trimark offices across Canada
are being urged to participate
in their local Bowl for Kids
Sake events and are being
educated on the various
ways they can volunteer. “We
are extremely grateful for
AIM Trimark’s support and
look forward to building the
profile of the Bowl for Kids
Sake event and ultimately,
increasing the awareness of
the need for mentors in the
lives of thousands of Canadian
children,” states Bowl for Kids
Sake Director Lee Overton.
Thank you to our
circle of friends
President’s Circle
AOL Canada
AIM Trimark
BMO Financial Group
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commercee
Cisco Systems Inc.
Ci
Mas
asterCard Canada
RBC Foundation
Fo
Social Development
evelopment Canada
Thee K
Keg Spirit Foundation
Th
he Muttart Foundation
Leader’s Circle
American Eagle Outfitters
EDULINX Canada Corporation
Federal Express Canada Limited
TELUS
Champion’s Circle
AIM Trimark is truly sharing
a little magic and touching
the lives of thousands of
children across Canada. We
thank them for their generous
support and for helping us to
reach our dream of ensuring
every child in Canada who
needs a mentor has a mentor.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of
Canada is proud to list AIM
Trimark as a member of
our President’s Circle.
CGA Ontario
Ont o
Franklin
klin Covey Canada Ltd.
GMA
MAC
HEPCOE Credit Union
Irving Tissue/Royale
Nokia Products Ltd.
Print Three
Universal Studios Canada
For more information on
Bowl for Kids Sake, please visit:
www.bowlforkidssake.ca
Patrons
Builder’s Circle
Cadi
adillac Fairview Corporation
Ev’s Vending
Vend
Temple
le Scott
S ott Associates
Associates
Canadian Greetings
Mattel
The Co-operators Group Limited
Igate Mastech
Laurel Steel/Fisher & Ludlow
Lau
Leade
ader Manufacturing
Rapport issue 2005.1 Published by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada and distributed free of charge to all members.
Letters, stories or submissions (approx. 600 words) may be sent to Attn: Steve Bevan to the address below.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada 3228 South Service Rd, Ste. 113E, Burlington, ON L7N 3H8 Tel: (905) 639-0461 Fax: (905) 639-0124
e-mail: [email protected] National Website: www.bbbsc.ca National President & CEO: Bruce MacDonald