Young volunteers connected to United Way had a fun and festive time participating in a great Day of Caring on Saturday – the Big Brothers Big Sisters Rudolph Red Tag Sale.
Recipients of the 2008 United Way Student Community Service Award were invited to help out with the event, which happened at Elim Chapel. They volunteered alongside members of the Youth Relations Council, Youth Connections Council, and the staff and volunteers of Big Brothers Big Sisters.
The Rudolph Red Tag Sale is an annual holiday party where the kids who have Big Brothers or Big Sisters (“littles”) can go behind the scenes to purchase gifts for the “bigs” in their lives. Volunteers supported the children as they ticked the items off their lists, helping them decide what to buy, making change, and wrapping everything in brightly colored paper.
A few of the volunteers pitched in by helping get the hot dogs ready. Volunteers Keaton, Justin and Thomas prepped this mountain of buns (see below) in no time flat!
After they were done shopping, the kids re-entered the party with bags full of presents, gleaming from ear to ear.
Volunteers were also busy helping kids paint ornaments, make their own holiday gifts, cards, and packages for their furry friends. Everyone was engaged in conversation, sharing their stories and making connections.
The day turned out to be a wonderful beginning to the holiday season and the start of many new friendships.
Thank you to Judy at Big Brothers Big Sisters for organizing this incredible event and bringing United Way’s youth volunteers in to be a part of it. Thank you also to every volunteer who rolled up their sleeves with a smile and made it a memorable day for everyone.
Big Brothers Big Sisters matches young people with adult mentors. United Way of Winnipeg invests in mentorships because they are a proven way to help children and youth achieve their potential. Click here for more information about Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Leave a Reply