Alumni
Newsletter
September 2013
Dear Friends,

As we continue our Centennial celebrations for 2013, we have a lot happening across Canada for the months of September and October. In this newsletter you'll find 
some of our latest news and updates.

We also welcome you to visit the News & Events page 
on our site throughout the year to keep on top of the 
latest updates, promotions, stories and events.

 

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Start Something USB Bracelet from Avon

As part of our Centennial celebrations and Big Brothers Big Sisters month, we would like to invite you to take part in Avon's Start Something Bracelet campaign. Many Canadians and Canadian celebrities have already come together to show their support for our cause and we hope you'll get involved too. 
 
Visit www.avon.ca/start and get your bracelet. There are two styles to choose from and 100% of the net proceeds will benefit the Canadian Women's Foundation and mentoring programs across Canada.

 

Award Winning Speech by Little Sister Savannah

Is it Tuesday already? I love Tuesdays. After homework club, I race home and get ready. I stand by the door and just wait for her car to pull in... I wonder what we will be doing tonight?
 
Honourable Judges, parents and fellow competitors, I want to talk to you about one of the most precious gifts I have ever received - One that has changed my life, tremendously. That gift is my big sister, Shelby and the organization responsible for connecting the two of us.

Shelby isn't my big sister by blood but instead she was matched with me through an organization called Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Georgian Triangle. She is VERY special. You see, Shelby chose to commit 2-4 hours of her time, weekly. She went through a screening process to make sure she was a safe adult with positive things to share. And after an interview she was ready for her little sister. Me!

Sometimes when we get together we talk about some of the tough things associated with being a kid... like school, siblings or bullies... and other times we are carefree, we goof around and giggle.

Shelby and I love to watch movies together, play games, do crafts, hike, skate, and even bake.

Once we tried baking Pumpkin peanut butter brownies but we substituted many of the ingredients, TRYING to make it healthier. Well... have you ever heard that expression "it's the journey, not the destination"? I finally get what that means. We had so much fun mixing everything together but when I bit into those brownies. Ick!!! I did try to pretend they were okay but I was eager to suggest that I should bring them home to share with my family instead. I could tell that my family thought the same thing, they were gagging at every bite. It was like revenge of the little sister and it made the experience that much sweeter.
 
To read the rest of Savannah's speech, click here...
 
Please take a moment to say thank you to the mentor in your life. Visit:
The Big Shout Out

 




A one of a kind keepsake
 
 
In honour of our 100th year in Canada, we have created a beautiful keepsake - a pewter
medallion with a 1913 one cent coin embedded on the back to commemorate our founding year.

In order to create this unique piece, we contacted numerous coin collectors across Canada to help us track down the coins needed to create the medals,  and since there is only a limited number of such coins available, we have created a limited number of medallions.*

If you are interested in purchasing this one of a kind keepsake for yourself or as a gift, simply contact Rosemary Velcich, Manager of Development Programs at rosemary.velcich@bigbrothersbigsisters.ca
 
*Note: get yours before they're all gone!
The Big Concert: A Musical Celebration of Mentors
 
Standard Life and the Orchestre symphonique de Montr�al join forces to pay homage to Big Brother Big Sisters

Hundreds of mentors from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada and their mentees will attend The Big Concert on Sunday, September 29, at 2:30 p.m., organized specially for them and generously offered by the Orchestre symphonique de Montr�al (OSM) at the Maison symphonique. This private concert is an initiative of Standard Life and the OSM. It also provides an opportunity to celebrate the 80th, 100th and 180th anniversaries of the OSM, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Standard Life Canada, respectively. 

"Through our community engagement program Invest in tomorrow, Standard Life helps young people reach their full potential," said Charles Guay, President and CEO of Standard Life in Canada. "The Big Concert reminds us of the importance of investing in the personal development of our young people, so we can contribute to a promising path for future generations."

"Many of our musicians benefited from mentoring throughout their career," stated Madeleine Careau, CEO of the Orchestre symphonique de Montr�al. "We are pleased to have created this program to celebrate all of the role models who have transformed lives."
 
 
Upcoming Events
 
Wondering what is happening in your community? 
Find your agency's local website by visiting


Simply type in your postal code to locate the agency in your area
 

 
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada 
3228 South Service Road, Suite 113E 
Burlington, Ontario L7N 3H8 
1-800-263-9133