Ontario kids make a difference in "Giver", a new TVOKids and Sinking Ship Entertainment co-production

TORONTO, April 10, 2012 /CNW/ - What can six kids accomplish in three days? TVO and Sinking Ship Entertainment are pleased to announce the launch of Giver, a new 13-part live-action TV series that engages kids in their local communities, as they volunteer their time to reimagine and rebuild local playgrounds in parks across Ontario.

"Giver shows what kids can do when given the chance to make a difference," said Patricia Ellingson, TVO's Creative Head of Children's Media. "This series is about "kid power", working as a team, civic engagement and the importance of helping to make your community the best it can be. Giver proves that when given the opportunity, kids can and will do amazing things."

Working with the Ontario Parks Association, TVO and Sinking Ship Entertainment put a call out to communities across the province in order to select the locations with the greatest need for safe parks. They received more than 60 submissions from across Ontario and 13 communities were selected (see below for a list of communities and the air dates of their episodes).

In each location a team of six kids was involved every step of the way - from coming up with creative concepts and themes, to drawing up the plans, to the actual tear down and construction - followed by a public launch of the finished parks. With only three days to finish the project, the kids felt a great sense of pride in all that they were able to accomplish.

A preview of a Giver episode filmed in Hamilton is available on YouTube here: http://youtu.be/2iDItSEBgS0.

"From being on Giver I learned that you can make a difference in your community no matter what your age, shape or size!" said 12-year-old Giver participant McCaiden from Fergus, Ontario.

There was also an overwhelming amount of support from volunteers and local businesses who wanted to help out.

"It was truly humbling to watch as each community came together to support these young kids. I was constantly reminded of how nothing is impossible when a group of dedicated people decide to work together to enact change. This show would not have been possible without the support of volunteers, local businesses and our Giver kids' endless energy," said J.J. Johnson, creator of the series and partner at Sinking Ship Entertainment.

Giver was conceived as a way to teach and encourage kids to become more involved in their local communities.

Beginning April 17, Giver will air Tuesdays at 6:30 pm, Saturdays at 1:30 pm and Sundays at 3:30 pm. Below is a list of when each community's episode will air:

Hamilton - Future Park	Tues. April 17 at 6:30 pm, Sun. April 22 at 3:30 pm
Guelph - Circus Park	Tues. April 24 at 6:30 pm, Sun. April 29 at 3:30 pm
Batawa - Dinosaur Park	Tues. May 1 at 6:30 pm, Sun. May 6 at 3:30 pm
Fergus - Dog Park	Tues. May 8 at 6:30 pm, Sun. May 13 at 3:30 pm
Newmarket - Car Park	Tues. May 15 at 6:30 pm, Sun. May 20 at 3:30 pm
Goderich - Butterly Park	Tues. May 22 at 6:30 pm, Sun. May 27 at 3:30 pm
Niagara Falls - Water Park	Tues. May 29 at 6:30 pm, Sun. June 3 at 3:30 pm
Hamilton - Science Park	Tues. June 5 at 6:30 pm, Sun. June 10 at 3:30 pm
Hawksville - Sandbox Park	Tues. June 12 at 6:30 pm, Sun. June 17 at 3:30 pm
Etobicoke - Nature Park	Tues. June 19 at 6:30 pm, Sun. June 24 at 3:30 pm
Gower - Obstacle Park	Tues. June 26 at 6:30 pm, Sun. July 1 at 3:30 pm
Kemptville - Skate Park	Tues. July 3 at 6:30 pm, Sun. July, 8 at 3:30 pm
Georgina Island - Chipewa Park	Tues. July 10 at 6:30 pm, Sun. July, 15 at 3:30 pm

About TVO

TVO is Ontario's public educational media organization and a trusted source of interactive educational content that informs, inspires and stimulates curiosity and thought. TVO's vision is to empower people to be engaged citizens of Ontario through educational media. TVO is funded primarily by the Province of Ontario. As a registered charity, TVO depends on the support of its sponsors and individual donors. For more information, visit tvo.org.

About Sinking Ship Entertainment

Sinking Ship Entertainment is an award winning television and new media company dedicated to creating groundbreaking live-action programming and cross-platform new media content.  Sinking Ship has created, produced and directed some of Canada's most successful children's programs to date including "This Is Daniel Cook," "This Is Emily Yeung," "Roll Play," "I Dare You!," "Are We There Yet?: World Adventure," "The Jungle Room," "The Ocean Room," and "Dino Dan". Since its inception in 2004, the company has produced 10 series that can be seen in over 130 countries.

Where to Find TVO

On air: Cable channel 2 (may vary in some areas) Bell TV channel 265 TVO HD on Bell Fibe TV channel 1265 Rogers TVO HD channel 580 Rogers-On-Demand channel 100 Shaw Direct channel 353

Websites: tvo.org tvokids.com tvoparents.com ilc.org

Online: Yahoo! YouTube Rogers-On-Demand-Online iTunes

Connect: Facebook Twitter

Media Contact:
Laura Wickett
TVO, Marketing and Communications
Phone: [phone] x 5550
Email: [email protected]