All Canadians can join in by performing a small random act of kindness
OTTAWA, April 8, 2014 /CNW/ - In celebration of Good Turn Week's fifth anniversary, Scouts Canada is supporting several large-scale community projects such as building portable libraries, refurbishing a community room and cleaning hiking trails in order to bring the week to Canadians. Not only that, Scouts Canada is challenging community members from coast-to-coast to perform random acts of kindness during Good Turn Week from April 26 - May 4.
"As we become more and more connected through technology, it's easy to lose the kindness we share through face-to-face interaction," says Kaylee Galipeau, National Youth Commissioner and Chair of the National Youth Network, Scouts Canada. "Good Turn Week is a way for Scouts to celebrate our commitment to community service, but it's also a challenge for all Canadians to reconnect on a basic level and become more caring, conscious citizens."
Good Turn Week isn't just for Scouts. Canadians of all ages are encouraged to join in by in doing at least one good turn for someone else and asking the recipient to pay it forward. There are countless simple good turns that only take a moment to do such as holding a door open for someone, giving up a seat on public transit or buying a coffee for the person in line behind you. Or devote a bit more time by volunteering at a local charity or baking cookies for colleagues.
A 2013 Harris/Decima survey commissioned by Scouts Canada examined the frequency in which Canadians perform good turns and found 51 percent of Canadians are the recipient of a good turn at least once a month, while only 28 percent of Canadians have a good turn performed for them twice a week or more.
Recently Scouts Canada challenged Scouting youth across the country to come up with their best and most significant ideas to help their community. Featured projects across the country include:
Eastern Avalon, Newfoundland and Labrador: Scouts from across the province will be out in full force with a goal of collecting 10 tonnes of donated items to be given to the Food Sharing Network, charitable thrift stores and animal rescue groups.
Milford, NS: Nearly 75 youth from six Scouting groups from the Tri Country Area will descend on the Elmsdale Sobey's to purchase nearly $2,000 worth of food to support four local food banks.
St. Thomas, ON: 7th St. Thomas Scouts are creating care packages of useful household items to support those starting new lives as they leave the Inn Out of the Cold homeless shelter and move into homes of their own.
Toronto, ON: 150 Agincourt Scouts will hit the streets with their "Hike for Hunger" parade, with door-to-door collection of food donations for the local food bank and the goal to fill two 6' x 12' trailers to maximum capacity.
Scarborough, ON: The 1st Centenary Scouts will revamp a community room at the Mornelle Court apartment complex to provide a safe and welcoming place for youth activities.
Brampton, ON: The 2nd Bramalea Scouts are taking the lead and building benches and cleaning up the hiking trails at Heart Lake to ensure they are safe for use following the damage caused by the December ice storm.
Fenelon Falls, ON: Girls and boys with the 1st Fenelon Falls Scouts Group will revitalize their local Lion's Club and build a ramp to make it wheelchair accessible.
Brooks, AB: Scouts are building Little Free Libraries that will be placed across town, providing community members with 24/7 access to children's books in Spanish, Arabic and German and creating a multi-language children's book section in their local library.
Port Coquitlam, BC: 1st Port Coquitlam Scouts will build nesting boxes to be placed in the Pitt River Intertidal Wetlands for Purple Martins, whose population has severely diminished due to logging, urban development and the introduction of non-native bird species.
Richmond, BC: The 89th Richmond MedVents will share important life-saving skills with the community through free, non-certification CPR orientation sessions for up to 144 community residents.
Fredericton, NB and Vancouver, BC: The 1st Rivorton Rover Crew and 180th Pacific Coast Rover Crew will travel to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to renovate an elementary school for underprivileged children and the Puerto Vallarta Scouts meeting hall and campground.
For more information on each project or Good Turn Week visit Scouts.ca/goodturn.
Canadians can share their good turns with Scouts Canada's 100,000 youth members and adult volunteers by submitting it via the Good Turn Week website, on Twitter using #goodturn, or at facebook.com/scoutscanada.
About Scouts Canada
Kids in Scouts have fun adventures, discovering new things and experiences they wouldn't discover elsewhere. Along the way, they develop into capable, confident and well-rounded individuals, better prepared for success in the world. For tens of thousands of children and youth across Canada, Scouts is the start of something great. Scouts Canada is the country's leading co-ed youth organization, with 100,000 members nationwide. Scouts Canada offers programming for children and youth aged 5-26 in multiple languages, reflecting Canada's multicultural landscape and communities. For more information, visit Scouts.ca.
Scouts Canada is a not-for-profit organization (Charitable Registration No. 10776 1694 RR0028) and a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement.
Image with caption: "Good Turn Week Idea - Collect Food for the Food Bank. Good Turn Week is April 26-May 4, 2014. (CNW Group/Scouts Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140408_C8716_PHOTO_EN_38956.jpg
Image with caption: "Good Turn Week Idea - Volunteer at a Local Shelter. Good Turn Week is April 26-May 4, 2014. (CNW Group/Scouts Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140408_C8716_PHOTO_EN_38957.jpg
SOURCE: Scouts Canada
Media Contact:
Andrea McLoughlin
Holmes PR
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416-628-5609
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