The Easter Seals Drop Zone challenge is returning to downtown Vancouver for its 5th year this September. Participants are challenged to raise at least $1,500 for Easter Seals which will then give them the opportunity to rappel down the face of a 20-storey office building. Despite my small fear of heights I have signed up for this charitable stunt so it’s time I start my fundraising.
Photo © toshikishiroki on Flickr
If you would like to see me rappel down an office building in support of Easter Seals (helping British Columbia’s children with disabilities through Easter Seals Camps and Easter Seals House) please consider donating to my campaign. When I hit the $1,500 mark I’ll be sent over the edge of the building, but not before taking a few Twitpics to share the experience...
There are so many places from where you can catch the Celebration of Light fireworks in Vancouver. From a blanket at Vanier Park, a bench near Jericho Beach, on the grass at English Bay, or a patio if you’re lucky enough to get a reservation. This year there’s another option that will not only give you a spectacular view, but in the process you’ll be supporting a great cause.
Photo credit: Dave Olson on Flickr
Dine Above the Stars premiers on July 28th at 6:00pm as guests are invited to enjoy a food, wine, and the fireworks from the 88th floor of The Coast Plaza Hotel & Suites on Denman. Presented by The Coast and Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, the event will be supporting A Loving Spoonful through ticket sales and a silent auction.
A Loving Spoonful is a Vancouver...
submiT was a t-shirt design contest aimed to raised awareness about the education of children in Ethiopia through imagine1day. This Friday they will be hosting a finale party at District 319 to celebrate the campaign and the cause.
imagine1day is a nonprofit organization that provides an opportunity for donors to be directly connected to projects that provide primary education for all children in Ethiopia, Africa.
On July 9th the winning submiTTion will be selected by the submiTTee (judging panel) consisting of some of Vancouvers key supporters of creativity, art and design. This includes Chip and Shannon Wilson (lululemon athletica/i1d), Jennifer Winsor (Winsor Gallery), Kirill Sudosa (Blast Radius), Shannon Heth (Heth PR), Steve Merkley (Raw Canvas).
Art + thought + inspiration +...
Blogathon is returning to Vancouver this year as I will once again be hosting an on-location event August 21st.
Kristi Ferguson from Fraser Valley Pulse will be heading up Blogathon Fraser Valley on the same day with another on-location event so we’ll have the region well-covered. Raul will be helping me with the Vancouver event as we’ll be celebrating our 5th year of Blogathon’ing together.
How it works
Bloggers sign up to blog for 24 hours straight, publishing an original post every 30 minutes (think walk-a-thon or spell-a-thon etc.) They do this marathon blogging in order to raise funds for the charity of their choice. The collect donations online to help keep them going.
We will be arranging CanadaHelps donation pages for all registered Blogathon Vancouver &...
Y.E.S! Vancouver (Young Entrepreneurs for Success) is hosting a special VIP shopping night at Banana Republic.
Photo: ping ping on Flickr
When Tuesday, July 6, 2010 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Where Banana Republic, 1098 Robson St.
Cost Y.E.S! Members $15.00; Non-members $30.00 (available online)
Attendees get full access to the store, fashion tips from Vitamin Daily editor-in-chief Sarah Bancroft, wine tasting from Gray Monk Estate Winery, and a 25% discount off all their purchases.
To top it off, Banana Republic will donate a portion of the evening’s proceeds to Y.E.S! Vancouver’s cause, Dress for Success Vancouver.
Dress for Success Vancouver is a registered Canadian Charity that helps low and no income women to transition into the workforce by providing professional attire....
The BC Cancer Foundation’s Underwear Affair takes place July 11th as individuals and teams get ready to strip down for the cause.
One team comprised of women is hosting a fundraiser to support their overall group efforts for the run. Team LACE Up, a part of the LACE campaign (Live Aware, Create Empowerment) has a special message about saving lives by getting women to have regular Pap tests. They spread awareness for this cause and will be fundraising specifically for the Underwear Affair with their event tomorrow.
LACE has joined forces with LOL @ The Cellar to make this week’s comedy night count. The evening will be hosted by cancer survivor and comedian Richard Lett who will head up a group of other great stand-up comics. 50% of proceeds will be donated to the LACE...
A few month ago I was invited to attend Bloggerpalooza at Ben & Jerry’s headquarters in Vermont. It was a whirlwind tour filled with chocolate chunks, raspberry swirls, and my first-ever Vermonster experience. It was at that time that I found out about a uniquely Canadian flavour that was about to launch called Caramel Hat Trick.
Flavour profile: Caramel ice Cream, fudge covered caramel chunks, caramel swirl
Aside from having a hockey-inspired name, sales from this particular flavour will also support the NHLPA Goals & Dreams campaign. A portion from every pint sold will go towards grassroots community hockey programs across Canada.
Over the past 10 years, more than 40,000 deserving children in 22 countries have benefited from the players’ donations of hockey...
Today Sebastian Albrecht will attempt to complete the Grouse Grind 14 times with the hopes of raising funds and awareness for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.
Photo credit: michaelgruenewald on Flickr
Albrecht completed 13 ascents last year and raised close to $10,000. This year during the Grind for Shelter he going for 14 ascents and $15,000.
Th Royal LePage Shelter Foundation “is Canada’s largest public foundation dedicated exclusively to funding women’s shelters and violence prevention and education programs.”
The Grouse Grind is a 2.9 kilometer trail that takes you straight up the side of Grouse Mountain. Albrecht will be making this trip up 14 times today and he’s already started. His expected finish time is around 11:00pm tonight.
If you would like to...
Liberty Wine Merchants presents Champagne and Caviar July 8th at the Vancouver Rowing Club.
Champagne & Caviar will benefit amateur sport in BC as this is one of many events in a tasting series that also supports a local non-profit cause or organization.
Tickets for this event are available for $29.99 from all Liberty Wine Merchant stores and guests will enjoy (you guessed it) fine champagne and caviar overlooking Coal Harbour from the Stanley Park setting.
I have a pair of tickets to give away so if you would like to enter to win, please leave a comment listing your favourite evening activity in Vancouver. This could be anything from catching a sunset in English Bay or heading out on the town, to watching a movie or attending a bubbly fundraising event.
I will draw a winner at...
This summer Pull Focus, an independent Gastown-based non-profit film school, will be partnering aspiring filmmakers and non-profit organizations as a part of their filmmaking for social change program.
Rhino Neal
Those interested in filmmaking can take one of five summer courses to learn everything from the basics of editing to producing documentaries. Students are not required to have a background in film but should have an interest in grassroots filmmaking and arrive prepared to plot out an idea for a documentary. The student films provide multimedia content that some organizations might not be able to afford on their own.
The school then helps students develop 10 minute-long documentary films (through writing, editing, etc.) for local charity organizations. The organizations can then...
This month you can donate to KidSport at local Triple O’s restaurants by requesting $1 be added to your bill. This donation will help cover sports costs for financially underprivileged children in BC.
Photo credit: D’Arcy Norman on Flickr
For a solid 20 years of my life I was involved in community sport and without these experiences, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. Every child should be able to be involved with sports in some form and the lack of equipment or funding should never be a reason they can’t do so. This is where KidSport comes in.
You can add $1 (or more) to your bill at Triple O’s until June 27th and that will go directly to KidSport and their programs.
To raise awareness for this campaign, they offered up prizes for six of my readers. Each...
The Working Gear Clothing Society provides trade appropriate clothing at no cost to low income men who are looking for work.
Photo credit: alisdair on Flickr
Mission statement: To relieve poverty by providing interview clothing and/or industry appropriate clothing to low income or unemployed men in search of employment.
The Society says these are men who are job ready, but lack something as simple as a pair of work boots or even a suit and dress shoes for an interview — kind of along the lines of what Dress for Success does for women. This summer they’re launching the “No Small Feet” campaign to collect 400 pairs of steel-toed work boots by September 1st, 2010.
They are looking for steel-toed work boots and shoes although they will also accept financial donations...
I had the chance to catch up with Jillian Harris (The Bachelorette, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition) to chat about this Thursday’s Cocktails for a Cause supporting Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver. Ever-grounded and with her lovely mother at her side, we had a great chat at a local coffee shop.
On Vancouver…
Visiting Vancouver (from Chicago) for about one week each month I asked Jillian what’s on her list of “must see” or “must do” things each time she returns. “Granville Island is my happy place,” she mentioned immediately. “Rodney’s Oyster House is my favourite place to go chill and have a bite to eat. Then my favourite place to shop here is Aritzia and The Cross on Homer.” However, when it comes to feeling at...
The 3rd annual Wish Upon a Star: An Evening of Hope event benefiting the BC Cancer Foundation takes place Saturday June 19th.
Happening at J Lounge on Bute (at Davie) the theme is a semi-formal masquerade ball and entertainment will include improv comedy and circus performances.
Your $25 ticket also includes door prizes, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres. There will also be prizes awarded for costumes and a silent auction to benefit the cause.
As a bonus, the first 20 people to purchase their ticket as a referral from Miss604.com (selecting that option on the online ticketing page) will be entered to win a Daniel Sedin autographed hockey stick from the Vancouver Canucks. The winner of the autographed stick will receive their prize that evening.
Wish Upon a Star will run from 6:00pm until...
Jillian Harris (The Bachelorette, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition) will be hosting a fundraising event on June 17th benefiting Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver.
Despite her move to Chicago and her new role as a designer on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Jillian will be attending this event in Surrey, BC and showing her support for Big Brothers, a program with which she has been involved in the past. She was a Big Buddy to two students from Bayview Elementary School in Vancouver from 2005 – 2008.
The event will feature cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, and The Beat 94.5’s Nira Arora. Jillian will also be doing a Q&A session with guests.
Big Brothers hopes the event will increase awareness about their volunteer opportunities for women, as well as recruit...
Five Hole for Food will see Vancouver hockey bloggers taking to the streets across Canada this summer to play hockey and raise funds for local Food Banks. The tour will stop in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria and wrap things up in Vancouver this July.
“I love hockey and I wanted to find a way to turn my passion into something that could give back to the community,” said participating blogger, player and campaign founder Richard Loat (@Mozy19 on Twitter). “Being a proud Canadian, it occurred to me that in the name of community and charity we could play hockey for a good cause and thus Five Hole for Food was born.” Richard will be joined by over a dozen other bloggers including my old Crazy Canucks podcast co-host, JJ...
The 23rd annual BC Children’s Hospital Miracle Weekend starts tomorrow with a broadcast on Global TV that will run straight through to Sunday night. This is one of the largest fundraising events of the year for the BC Children’s Hospital and even I was personally invited to take part.
Having a niece and four nephews, and having worked with the Children’s Hospital in the past on several campaigns, this is a cause close to my heart.
Facts about the Hospital:
… it received more than 196,0000 patient visits last year
… an average of 690 sick and injured children receive care every day
… there are more than 100 newly diagnosed cases of childhood cancer in BC each year
… more than 750 youngsters receive active treatment for cancer at the Hospital...
Photo by: ng.kelven
Social media can be used for many purposes: sharing what you just ate for breakfast, finding out the score of the hockey game, or connecting with colleagues. One of my favourite aspects of the medium is that it can also be used for social good. Vancouver’s Next Top Charity is a video contest to help promote the under-promoted non-profits in our city.
To enter, the 12 finalist contestants produced a quick video about their organization. These entries are now up on the public voting page. The entry with the most votes will receive a prize pack including goodies from the sponsor companies as well as a cash donation to give them a boost.
There is also an auction on the contest’s website that will help raise the donation prize funds. Auction items include a...
Friday May 28th is Loud Shirt Day in Vancouver benefiting The Children’s Hearing and Speech Centre in BC.
Photo by: Loud Shirt Day on Flickr
The idea is to register yourself, your workplace or your friends and raise funds while wearing your loudest, wackiest, craziest shirt possible. Think Jeans Day but for another cause and with crazy prints.
Participants are encouraged to send in their loud photos for a chance to win 2 tickets to see Michael Bublé live in concert, dinner for 2 at The Shore Club, plus other prizes that include dinner at The Keg, Hy’s and Gotham’s.
There will also be a Loud Shirt fashion show at The Bay on Friday at 6:00pm. Follow them on Twitter @loudshirtday_ca for news and updates....
I do give money to specific charities. It is my duty to share with those who are less fortunate. as a rule I don't give to people begging on the streets in Canada. It =has long been my thinking that by giving money to people on the street I am funding their addictions and killing them. So this article was very interesting to me.
There's a good chance if there is not a member of your family who is an addict of some kind, then you know someone who is. You also know, then, how creative and persistent they are at getting what they need i.e. money for the substance of their addiction.
I have lived for many years on the streets of Calgary and have been a regular guest at the homeless shelters provided for people in my situation.
Being broke was an everyday state of affairs, and finding ways...
National Wear it Pink Day in Canada is May 27th, 2010. The Weekend to End Women’s Cancers (formerly known as the Weekend to End Breast Cancer) started the campaign in order to raise awareness for their upcoming event this summer, benefiting BC Cancer Foundation.
Photo credit: Ron Sombilon Gallery
One in seven women will be diagnosed with breast or gynecologic cancers in their lifetime
The campaign joined forces to fight all women’s cancers and this will be the first year under the new banner title. Women’s cancers include Breast, Ovarian, Cervical Cancer, Uterine, Vaginal, and Vulvar. The Shoppers Drug Mart Weekend to End Women’s Cancers will take place August 14-15, 2010 and will travel throughout Vancouver along with other major cities across the country....
The City of Vancouver is releasing several of its 2010 Olympic and Paralympic street banners to local non-profits who wish to use them for fundraising.
Photo credit: rwill on Flickr
Non-profit organizations are encouraged to fill out applications for use of the banners to propose how they would use them for fundraising. The city is specifically looking for campaigns that would benefit the Downtown Eastside, Downtown South and Mount Pleasant.
Photos © Susan Gittins on Flickr
You can view a PDF of the banners and download the PDF application form on the City’s site. Deadline for submissions is May 19th, 2010....
Vancouver is hosting a Garage Sale for Shelter on Saturday May 15th. This is inspired by the National Garage Sale for Shelter campaign from which proceeds are donated to local women’s shelters and violence prevention programs for youth and children via the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.
When Saturday May 15, 2010 from 10:00am – 4:00pm
Where 3333 Main Street, Vancouver
Photo credit: Lisa M Lane on Flickr
Aside from the garage sale there will also be food, entertainment and activities for the whole family, including the staple bouncy castle.
If you would like to donate gently-used items for the sale they can be dropped off or if you contact the team in advance (especially for larger items) they can arrange pickup prior to the event.
More information can be found on the...
This is a column by regular MDJ contributor Clark.
Kiva is a non-profit organization that offers an avenue for individuals to loan money to low-income entrepreneurs across the globe. FrugalTrader had written about the Kiva organization during its infant days and I think that it might be worth revisiting them again through my personal experience. The money loaned is used by the entrepreneurs to buy cattle, start/expand their grocery store or restaurant or for a host of other small businesses. Since these loans are given to the working poor, there is a risk of principal loss to the individuals (the lender) and Kiva does not guarantee repayment of these loans or a financial return on these loans. To put it bluntly, this is not a peer-to-peer lending investment vehicle like Lending Club or...
The 3rd annual GrapeJuice Wine Auction for Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland happens this Thursday in Yaletown.
Photo credit: rogersmj on Flickr
When Thursday May 6, 2010 at 6:00pm
Where V at Earls in Yaletown
CameronMcNeill.com and McNeill Nakamoto created GrapeJuice to raise much needed funds to facilitate the matching process for over 100 at risk young girls on the Big Sisters waitlist.
Big Sisters of BC lower Mainland matches volunteer mentors with young girls who face a multitude of challenges. Many of the young children suffer from low-self esteem and social isolation due to poverty, abuse or neglect. For every Little Sister that is successfully matched with a volunteer mentor, a quiet revolution of hope takes place. It costs $2,000 to make and maintain one Big & Little Sister...
This afternoon we braved the Saskatchewan elements to participate in the Hope Race for Recovery event — and by elements, I mean SNOW.
We walked with a group of people from the Saskatoon Freethinkers, and it was our second year we participated in the event. One element I really like about this walk/race is the ability to be able to participate in honor of, or in memory of someone you know who has fought cancer. This year, Jerry walked in honor of his father, a cancer survivor, and I walked in memory of my grandmother (my dad’s mom), who died of cancer before I was born.
Despite the unfriendly elements, it was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Our friend Allen captured the finish line of our 2k walk on video, so here it is, for your enjoyment:...
The 2010 West Vancouver Rotary SeaWalk Run benefiting Canuck Place Childrens Hospice returns May 30th.
The 10km walk or 5km run takes place along the shores of the Burrard Inlet starting and ending at The Village at Park Royal South.
Participants will receive a runner’s breakfast at the finish line, an original t-shirt, swag from Running Room and Canuck Place as well as opportunities to win some great prizes. This is also an officially sanctioned run certified by BC Athletics so times will be kept and distances have been measured.
The entrance fee is $37 per adult and $25 for youth (18 & under) with proceeds going straight to Canuck Place. You can register...
The 3rd annual Red Cross Red Carpet Soiree takes place at Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar once again on May 6th. This fundraiser supports the Canadian Red Cross and in particular the Lower Mainland Disaster Management Program.
May 8th marks World Red Cross Day, which is celebrated internationally every year since 1948. This year, we commemorate World Red Cross Day by highlighting the local Red Cross Disaster Management Program and how it responds to community needs during times of crisis through direct services such as providing support, hygiene kits and blankets; family reunification service; critical information dissemination to the public through the TELUS Red Cross Call Centre; and coordination with all levels of government, local authorities, communities and other relief organizations to...
Delta Hotels launched the Good Neighbours Challenge today. It’s an initiative with two goals, the first is to raise $1 million to support charitable partners from coast to coast and the other is to donate 10,000 volunteer hours to support the communities in which Delta Hotels exist across Canada.
You can find a full list of supported charities on the Good Neighbours website including BC Childrens Hospital, Canadian Cancer Society, Whistler Adaptive, Richmond Sharing Farm and many more.
Delta will also host over 450 community events across Canada throughout the challenge starting today.
Delta employees clean-up at Minoru Park
Tuesday April 20, 2010, 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Employees from the Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel will do a clean up at Minoru Park
Canada Line breakfast for...
With so much going on around Metro Vancouver my April Events Guide requires this supplementary Link Fest. The following are community fundraising events that have all been emailed my way.
Photo credit: S. Vegas on Flickr
Friends of Paul Carson
This Friday, April 16th at 7:00pm Friends of Paul Carson will take place at Republic on Granville. On February 1st local broadcaster Paul Carson was diagnosed with a type of cancer that requires expensive, specialized and highly aggressive treatments. The event will be hosted by B-Mac (Barry Macdonald) and Don Taylor of TEAM 1040 and there will be silent auction items, prizes, and entertainment from the Famous Players Band. Tickets are available online for $195 and include food, drinks and entertainment. Also, thanks to the event’s sponsors,...