Girl Guides of Canada

Autumn
Winnipeg, MB

Autumn let me look at her books and feel them. That was nice. She smiles. She shared two books with me.

Emery
Provost, AB

Emery has been such an amazing friend. We recently moved to Provost where I became a new Spark in a small town where I knew nobody. Emery has been so nice and she’s there for me when I need a friend.

Malina
Edmonton, AB

I love to keep the world clean. I always pick up trash when I see it and I encourage others to do the same. I also love to help my friends at school. I go to a special speech therapy school. When I am in therapy and my friends are having trouble saying their words, I will always tell them that they can do it and I am here for them. I encourage them to try and say the word again. When there is a new child at my school, I am the first one to hold their hand and play with them on the playground so they don't feel so nervous. I know I was nervous on my first day and another girl helped me. I am also learning sign language because there are a lot of friends at my school who can't hear. I want to be able to communicate with them. I feel sad when someone does not have a friend to play with and I always include them in my play.

Nettle
Truro, NS

I like people and plants. I make encouragement cards and treats for librarians and people in my community regularly; deliver cookies to people working in 24/h gas stations on Christmas Eve; give high-fives, hugs, and cards to gas station attendants; I really liked making a “baby box” (things needed for a baby) and giving it to an organization that helps families with babies. During spring, summer, and fall, I help tend to plants in the greenway to help prevent flooding when it rains and give greenery to our neighbourhood; help carry gray water jugs for my granny as we water our and our neighbour’s garden twice a day; and pick up sticks after wind storms. My dream better world is made of sweets but my real better world has a lot less garbage.

Alyssa
Penticton, BC

Alyssa has been doing a “Guess That Bead” competition at school and has raised $81 so far for equipment at the hospital.

Madeline
Winnipeg, MB

I change the world by raising awareness about poverty and homelessness and how we can make a difference in the lives of others by doing things to help them. I volunteer my time at organizations in my city that collect, sort, and give food and clothing to families and people that need them. I also tell my friends, family and community about poverty here in Canada and in other countries across the world, where there are a lot of people who need our help just to survive. Everyone needs and deserves the same things like food, clothing, a safe place to live, and education, but poverty can stop people from getting these basic things, which I think is unfair. Last fall, just by talking to people and putting up posters, I collected 70 shoeboxes of things like soap, toothbrushes and school supplies, which I took to an organization who distributed them to kids in Congo and Nigeria. I also collected boxes of things for moms and kids who stay at a homeless shelter in our city, and I collected a whole carload of toys from my friends, community, and family for the Christmas Cheer Board, who give toys to kids at Christmas! I change the way people think about each other, the world, and poverty, by showing others that anyone, even kids like me, can bring happiness and make a difference in the lives of others by being generous and caring, and treating everyone as equals. Together we can reduce poverty by sharing what we have and helping each other. The world will be a better place if we care for each other and treat each other with respect and kindness.

Ryleigh
Tara, ON

Every year I ask my friends to make donations instead of bring gifts to my birthday parties. I donated almost 100 pounds of food to my local food bank one year, donated a van full of dog and cat food to a nearby animal shelter and also raised money for a donation of books to my school library. I asked my mum and dad for a little outdoor library for our front yard and have collected books for it and am the keeper of it so my friends can enjoy reading as much as me. I am on the Green Team (recycling program) at school and have done community clean ups around my neighbourhood. I help smaller skaters during practice times for SkateTara. I try to be the best me and friend I can be.

Xyra
Moose Jaw, SK

She is polite and kind and cares about all animals. Xyra volunteers with her mom for Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Saskatchewan and cares for all animals. She wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up.

Alexandra
Nanaimo, BC

At school, I try to help and talk to the kids with less friends and help them make new ones. In grade four, with help from my friend Kayla, I created the Human Rights Club. It's been running strong for three years now, raising almost $2,000, with 35 members. Our largest accomplishments include: a bake sale, raising over $500, an entrepreneurship fair to spread awareness for Orange Shirt Day ($350), and a clothing drive that gave over 400 items to those in need. We also hold weekly meetings that I organize and run. By myself, I have created a petition against the Indian Act, raised over $700 for my local SPCA, $300 for Me to We, and keep in great touch with my pen pal in Honduras. In addition, I have participated in multiple fundraisers provided by my community, such as Cards for the Homeless (school) and Lunches with Love (Guides). My friends and I may be kids, but I've been helping out long enough to know that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a big difference.

Charlee
Campbell River, BC

I have known Charlee since Kindergarten and we are now in Grade 4. We are best friends and attend Girl Guides together. She is the reason I am a Guide as she knows me and knew how much I would love the program. Charlee loves all animals and helps care for our environment and our community, which is a big part of her and her family's lives. As an example, Charlee is a part of a local group called “Greenways”. Greenways takes care of waterways. Charlee is known in this group as a “Stream Keeper.” She does things like stream walks to make sure everything is flowing like it should, salmon counts and intakes which includes working with our local hatchery. Charlee goes to volunteer meetings with her dad. Charlee was recently recognized by our mayor as a result of her ongoing efforts as a Stream Keeper in our community of Campbell River, BC, known as the “Salmon Capital of the World”. I feel my best friend and fellow Guide Charlee should be recognized because she not only helps the environment but also our community with keeping water flowing freely. Charlee is also very knowledgeable and often shares valuable information with her friends and classmates. I am lucky to know Charlee and feel she should receive this award.

Clara
Merrickville, ON

I am nominating Clara for the Change Maker award because she is very generous with her time and the people around her. She has done a lot of community service work including making valentines for veterans, donating to the local food bank, made gift bags with essentials for an abused women’s shelter, ran a book and toy drive for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, and most recently sewed 45 comfort cushions for the breast cancer ward at the Ottawa General Hospital. She also competed in the Equestrian Bronze circuit, qualified for the regional championships and at the end of the year received the sportsmanship award. At the end of the day what Clara’s favourite thing to do is make someone’s day, even if she doesn’t know them, that little bit brighter.

Sia
Surrey, BC

From the age of 6, I have been running an annual fundraiser. In the summer of 2015, I came up with the idea of hosting a Lemonade Stand for Charity. With help of family and friends I was able to raise $300 in three hours by selling lemonade and home-made goodies for the Charity (DeltaView Life Enrichment Centre). Since then I have held annual charity events because I want to help sick children and adults. I use my own savings to make posters, flyers and buy balloons. I reach out to each organization and ask for donations. So far, I have hosted Sia's Lemonade Stand ($300), Sia's Ice Cream Shop ($1020), Sia's Sundae Bar ($1700), Sia's Galaxy HotDog Stand ($5000), and recently Sia's Burger Shack ($9200). All funds raised go back to Children's Hospital. Last year was my 5th year and I hosted Sia's Burger Shack. For the 4th year in a row, I joined hands with Save-On-Foods as my main food sponsor and donated all funds back to Children's Hospital (Neuromuscular Disease Department). Companies such as EW Group joined hands with me by giving generously. Recently, many organizations such as BC Lions, Vancouver Canucks, Vancouver Giants, and much more donated prizes to make my event successful. To celebrate my 5th year, I also put together a raffle trip package to Whistler. All proceeds went to Children's Hospital. These acts of kindness make me extremely happy when I'm able to provide support to those in medical distress.

Alexandria
Richmond, BC

I'm nominating Alexandria because she has been creating a better world through kindness despite any challenges she has faced. Through her years in Guiding, Alexandria has always been a happy and exuberant part of any unit she has been in since Sparks. She is helpful and kind to everyone even when no one else is looking, often offering the leaders help before being asked. She won her community humanitarian award for spending her lunch breaks with elementary students who needed a friend or had special needs and were not able to play with their peers. She's been previously chosen as a DARE speaker and has achieved all of these things despite her ADHD and dyslexia and sometimes poor health. She never complains about her challenges, just quietly works harder through things. This year she is a unit helper in Sparks and “Guider Sprinkles” is a girl favourite because she’s always ready to jump in to help, lead, do bathroom runs with girls or give hugs. She has logged hundreds of community service hours while not looking for any recognition, she has always just been happy to help others. I think Alexandria is an excellent example of a change maker because she has been quietly spreading her kindness and always chooses the path of kindness even when it hasn't been the easiest or most convenient to follow.

Anna-Klara
Edmonton, AB

I have been doing Girl Guides since I was a Spark and I've had many amazing experiences and made many great memories! One of my favourite memories is Sea to Sky summer camp at Cold Lake where I completed the Bronze Star Lifesaving Course and received the award for 'best fire starter.' In my three years of Guides, I earned 39 badges from different program areas. Three years ago I started volunteering at Kids On Track Organization, helping set up and serving food at family fun nights and special celebrations. In grade one, I started having fundraiser birthdays for the Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation. Since then my friends and I have raised about one thousand dollars. My dream is to be a doctor and this is the first step to helping sick children. School is also very important to me and that is why receiving the Outstanding Achievement award, at the end of grade 6, meant a lot to me. In grade one, one of my classmates had little English knowledge and my teacher assigned me to help him with our studies, since then I've been considered a person who can help the other kids who are struggling. After school, I go straight to figure skating to achieve my goal of going to the Olympics. If I don't get into the Olympics as an athlete I will go as a volunteer. I have volunteered with my home club and at the national level 'Challenge Competition'. I enjoy my life and always try to make people around me happy.

Jessica
Toronto, ON

I am nominating myself because I am committed to helping the environment and others. Two years ago, I started the Eco Club at my school. Since then, I have done many things: I organized a dead marker and battery drive and collected over 3000 markers, and 1000 batteries. I was the one who brought Earth Rangers to my school to teach kids about conservation. I helped organize and participate in clean-ups. I work closely with my school’s principal to monitor electricity and waste. I also participate in service and volunteer projects in Guiding, school, and my community. I’m a Girl Assistant with a Ember unit, and I love planning activities for them! I’ve also made milk bag mats with them. At school, I always volunteer to help with carnivals, winter spirit day, and cultural night. I am always the one people ask when they need help or a hand. With student council, we sold Valentine loot bags, and all the money raised went to Sick Kids. As well, during my school’s Remembrance Day ceremony, I was the one representing Girl Guides. I had to make a speech and say a prayer for the veteran that came. I’ve also done many service projects: TD tree days (where I planted over 50 trees!), Operation Christmas Child, and the Terry Fox Run. Last summer, I volunteered as a Junior Camp Counsellor, and I help out with my city’s Canada Day Parade. I also did a 5 km walk with my school to feed the homeless. I give my time to tutor a child who is really struggling in school. I believe I am making a change at home, school, in my community, Guiding and the environment.

Kyrsten
Bay Bulls, NL

Everybody wants to be loved, recognized, valued and appreciated. Kyrsten knows the importance to be a good friend, a positive attitude, volunteering in the community and value its citizens. She is always looking for new service projects or ones that she can get involved in. She volunteers with the local Girl Guide unit every week and looks forward to planning and teaching them something new. She has such great leadership qualities. I think her biggest quality is her heart and how much she values people. It doesn’t matter if you are her closest friend or a stranger on the street, she has this way of being in tune with how they are feeling, and she wants to make it better. She wants everyone to feel good about themselves and feel like they matter and to let them know that someone cares how their day is going and thinks that they are important and valued. At Christmas time she made about 60 little snowmen ornaments that were super cute, and she gave them out to everyone one she knew, teachers, janitors, friends, family, and people in the community. She loved how she feels by making other people feel good and I think over time it has just become her thing. For Valentine’s Day she made 70 origami hearts that opened, and she placed little chocolates and notes inside them. For Easter, she already has lip balm made that is strawberry scented and beautiful Easter eggs with chocolates inside to hand out. Kyrsten so deserves the Change Maker Award because she has touched so many peoples’ lives. She is what we all strive to be, a really good person with a super big heart that truly cares about everyone’s well-being. She promotes inclusion and spreads excitement and happiness of the Guiding movement.

Alyssa
Brooklin, ON

I think it would be understating her passion to say she could change the world because Alyssa is a true role model who WILL change the world one day. She's an advocate for climate change and the environment and is continually spreading awareness for this cause. She co-founded both a local chapter of Fridays for Future and Sustainability Durham, which has organized and led shoreline clean ups, clothing swaps, and even more in our local community. Alyssa really stands out in our unit. She has the motivation and drive to inspire others to make a difference in our world. She's been an active leader within our unit with women in politics, helping to explain and lead the future voters challenge in fun and easy ways. She firmly believes we need to give a voice to ourselves and is an inspiring advocate to help us understand why we can make a difference by voting or showing how we can support our local candidates if we aren't old enough to cast an actual vote yet. I honestly think that everyone could be a little more like Alyssa. She takes pride in saving our environment, and the ground we walk on. She pays more attention to the harmful actions she can cut out of her lifestyle such as eating meat and eliminating single use plastics, that most of us don't give a thought about. She genuinely cares about the causes she takes part in, not to make it look good on an essay, or an application; but because it's what she believes in. Alyssa continually works hard to make an impact through her own actions and getting her message out.

Ella
Port Moody, BC

Growing up as an introverted female immigrant, I was led to think that I could never be a leader in my own actions. However, through community involvement, where I could help others going through the same struggles as mine, I realized that what I perceived as a weakness has a full potential to make a change in the society. With this realization, I have been actively contributing towards my community. At school, I currently run and facilitate the 'Kodiak Konversations Club', whose main goal is to help English as an Additional Language (EAL) students gain confidence in communicating in English through various activities. As a head executive, I feel devoted to this club as I have experience being an EAL student myself and thus I understand their hardships and the importance of providing assistance for them. Another project I initiated targeted a larger population of students; students struggling to plan for their future after graduation. I was also one of them, as I had felt clueless in terms of career choices as I ascended to my senior years of high school. Hence, in grade 11, I took on my own project to address such issues. Named the Pathfinder Project, it consisted of interviewing people with different careers in our community and sharing those contents on a website I generated for the students to view. Lastly, over the 10 years I spent with Girl Guides, I have been developing a wide view of the world with numerous volunteering experiences I shared with my unit. The hours I devoted towards volunteering led me to earn some Girl Guides Awards along with the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award. Moreover, I have also been working as a Junior Leader to spread knowledge and to empower young Sparks.

Elsie
Estevan, SK

I'm nominating myself for this award as I feel I have made a difference in and outside my community. I am a Lones Ranger in Saskatchewan. Inside and outside of Guiding I go out of my way to help others. Some examples of my commitment would be helping my friend that battled cancer raise money through her Cancer Sucks project for the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital and volunteering at the Estevan Humane Society. My hard work resulted in me getting a job at the shelter. I still go out of my way at work to help the animals in need. I have helped with the angel tree project, Christmas cookie parades, made numerous Operation Christmas Child boxes, I've played ukulele, sang and danced at hospitals and nursing homes. I love to see the joy it brings to them. I learned to read and type braille and have been in contact with the CNIB and the Braille Institute in the U.S to find a pen pal! I want to use this skill to help visually impaired people. I continue to dance at our community United Way every year since I was a little girl. I volunteer at the Cystic Fibrosis Ball to help raise money. I continue to volunteer at our local food bank, and I volunteer at my dance studio to help teach the little ones. I also continue to volunteer at an organization called Cut and Sew where we make feminine hygiene kits for girls so they can continue their education. Within Guiding I have been involved in many community clean-ups and Trefoil teas. I want to make a difference in the world around me and I will continue to put my best foot forward to help others.

Mary
Merrickville, ON

Mary is creating a better world by assisting the 50 or more girls in the Oxford Mills Sisterhood at every event, and she specifically helps out the Guides nearly every week. She has initiated, executed and delivered more than 25 birthday boxes for a local charity last year. She always helps the community at the local food drives. She impacts the community with her volunteer hours, including at the Breakfast for Easter Seals society, the countless garbage pickups, and bottle drives, plus all the things she does at school too. Mary has run challenges for the Guides to follow: Be You last year and DeCode this year. She is helping plan the Guides’ year-end trip and she plays a big part in summer camp preparations, where she and leaders get ready for a 5-night camping trip; she is even First Aid and ORCKA certified. I like camping with Mary. She makes me feel safe and happy. At her school she is on the Student Council and will be graduating this year. I am happy she plans to come back as a Ember leader next year!

Presley, PEI

I pack shoeboxes for children around the world. I have been packing shoeboxes since I was three. In Sparks we packed 15 boxes. It makes me feel happy to send gifts to others who don't have as much. I collect pop cans for money and use it to buy toys for the boxes I pack at home. I packed 40 shoeboxes. I've done a shoreline cleanup. We collected garbage from the beach, grass and road. It was fun picking up the garbage, I felt happy. I'm excited to do another cleanup. I invited two friends to come to Sparks. I like all the girls in my unit. I like to be friends with everyone. I know the Spark motto – "I promise to share and be a friend." It's important to me. I was in the Remembrance ceremony and laid the stand for the wreath. I was wearing my Spark outfit and a poppy. I go to the Remembrance Day ceremony every year. I collect food for my school breakfast program. I would feel sad if there were kids who didn't have food, everyone should have food. I do a lot of things with my mom and grandma to help people. We took hats downtown for people. I give toys and clothes I don't need because I've grown bigger, to other kids. I like to share with my friends, and others. When I grow up, I want to be a doctor. I want to help people if they get injured or break a bone. Being a nice doctor would make sick people calm and happy when they see me. Being a nice doctor would make a difference in the world, and I want to make a difference.

Sophie, AB

My name is Sophie and I am a first year Spark. Last summer I wanted to plant food and share it with people who don’t have any. We planted lots of strawberries, cucumbers, tomatoes, raspberries, and broccoli. We went to the homeless shelter three times to drop off sandwiches, fruits, and vegetables. Over the winter, our Sparks group also made 17 care packages for our local homeless shelter and I got to deliver them! I want to make this world a better place because everyone deserves to be loved.

Lucy, AB

I would like to nominate Lucy, my friend in my Sparks unit. Lucy is always smiling and is very nice to me and everyone. She is making the world a better place by being a good friend.

Olivia, AB

I would like to nominate Olivia who is my friend in my Sparks unit. She is creating a better world by being so nice to everyone. She is always polite, kind, and funny.

Zabel, BC

I'm submitting this nomination because I believe I made a change in the support of endangered animals. Instead of accepting gifts, I did a fundraiser for my 8th birthday for WWF. I raised 425 dollars, also I increased awareness amongst my friends and family for the extinction of wild animals. Because wild animals are becoming more endangered every day and if it continues with the same speed then some species will become extinct very quickly. Hopefully the awareness will reach more people and our kids will be able to learn about these animals while they are around.

Molly, BC

I help take care of my world and am kind to others. I adopted an orangutan in Borneo and gave money to keep him healthy and not extinct. I helped to build a bike and donated it to a boy in Bali because he didn’t have one. I also donated my bike and toys and clothes at Christmas time to families who need it. I take care of the environment by picking up litter. I also made a lemonade stand and gave all the money to the Terry Fox Foundation. We raise money for heroes like Terry Fox and sell cookies to make money for Embers. Everyone is a change maker who is kind and had good manners and is respectful to other people and the environment.

Aubrey, SK

Aubrey was diagnosed in 2017 with Wolfe Parkinson white syndrome, that is a heart defect. Aubrey took drugs to keep her heart rhythms under control until she was big enough to have surgery. This past December she finally had her cardiac ablation done and it was called a success. In February 2018 and this February 2019, Aubrey campaigned for The Heart and Stroke Foundation raising more than $2300 so that other people have a chance to be diagnosed and helped through that foundation. Aubrey didn't let her heart problem get in her way of helping others.

Quinn, NS

Quinn is my sister. She is just like everyone else, only special. She has special needs. She wears braces on her legs and needs help from grownups sometimes. She loves Embers. She goes every week. She always participates as best she can. She always looks out for all her friends. She is the first one to check on someone if they are hurt or crying. She makes the world better by being herself. She shared her special Olympic coaches with us at Embers this year. It was fun.

Lexy, ON

I work to be a change maker at school, at home and at Guides. At school, I raised over $500 for Breast Cancer selling popcorn. I wrote letters to the mayor about homelessness and to Tim Hortons about their use of single-use plastics. I made tourtière for the local nuns. I am also raising awareness about poverty, eco schools and healthy schools. In my unit, we made scarves for the homeless, sang and made cards for seniors, sewed hearts for ICU babies and wove milk bag mats for third world countries. With my family, I raised $51 for the legion selling handmade poppies and raised $115 for the Ontario SPCA, we ring the kettlebells for the Salvation Army at Christmas and donated to Project Share.

Ashlyn, NS

I believe that I am a good candidate for this award because I have completed two campaigns to help out those in my community. The first campaign I would like to mention was called “Bears for the Brave”. This was a campaign where I collected stuffed animals to donate to the local police station, they were to be used by officers to comfort people in tough situations. I did this in memory of someone who was very close to me, who worked at the police station. My goal was 43 bears, in the end, I collected 97 bears and I was excited to achieve more than double my goal. A couple years prior to that campaign I started another one, where I made bags of personal items to give to people in need. These bags contained items like mittens, scarfs, hats, toiletries and facecloths. With help from my family and community, I collected enough items to make about 50 bags and I worked with my church and a local charity to get these bags to the people that needed them most. I had a lot of fun doing both of these and the most rewarding part was seeing the faces of everyone who I helped and everyone who stood by me and helped with both of my projects and I hope to do more in the future.

Fiona, ON

Fiona is very kind and always thinks of others before herself. Here is what she has done this Guiding year: she visited and made cards for patients and workers at a Veterans hospital, she wrote letters to factories asking them to reduce the amount of pollution they create, she ran in the Terry Fox Run and the Neon Night Run for Childhood Cancer Research, she made valentines for veterans, she made care packages for abused women and children and brought them to a shelter, she collected and donated toys to the local firefighters toy drive, towels and blankets to an animal rescue, and food to the food bank. Fiona does a lot of volunteering and horseback riding competitions but still works hard to learn a lot with Girl Guides and earn a lot of badges!

Sienna, AB

The biggest thing that stands out for me about Sienna is her sense of social justice. Sienna gets very bothered when she thinks that people are being treated unfairly. She stands up for people on the playground and at school that she thinks they are being left out or treated badly. She offers to play with them and is quick to give up her food when people don’t have a snack. She won awards this past summer at Camp Tamarack (Grande Prairie) for empowerment and belonging for the way she treats and builds up other people. Everyone takes notice. Sienna really cares about homeless people. Whenever we go to the city, she packs a little backpack. She makes sure that she has change and carries packages of chips and granola bars in case she sees a homeless person that she can help. She makes sure to say hi to them so that they feel that someone cares for them. She also makes sure that our parents have extra change in case she runs out. Sienna openly shares these concerns with others. She tells stories in her class about how they are people too, and that it is not their fault that they are in this situation. I can see Sienna choosing a career later where she can help people more, like a nurse or a social worker. Sienna is an incredibly caring person.

Kate, ON

I would like to bring awareness to Guides across Canada, that they can make a difference doing something they enjoy. In 2016, I started The Birthday Box Project (GTA), to recycle party supplies and help kids in shelters have a happy birthday. The project started when we were cleaning out our family party cupboard, we had things for a bunch of different themes. I remembered years earlier my Ember unit put together a box of Christmas decorations and toys for the local shelter. So, I thought I could do the same with birthday decorations and gifts. My friends also had leftover party supplies, we put all our stuff together and made up 10 birthday party-in-a-box kits and delivered them to the local shelter. The shelter workers were so happy and told us that most people living at the shelter don’t have money to spend on party supplies and this would make the children, and their parent(s) very happy.  Birthday parties provide an opportunity for joy and celebration at the shelter. I knew we had to do more. I asked my friends to ask their friends, posted on community social media pages and made a Facebook Page for people to join. There are 300+ members upcycling/donating their leftover party supplies to my project. Over 150 party-in-a-box kits have been made and delivered to local shelters. Some of the shelters reuse the kits, so even more kids are celebrated. Upcycling the leftover/unwanted party supplies is helping the planet by saving them from the landfill and helping kids feel special with a birthday celebration. I believe all children deserve to be celebrated, no matter where they live.

Sky, NL

Being a member of Girl Guides has really opened my eyes to the importance of helping others, making a real difference in people’s lives and really appreciating what you have. Three years ago my dad was diagnosed with MS. This was really bad news and it hit our family hard. My dad couldn't work anymore. But it was ok because he had insurance that paid the bills and paid for his medication. Unfortunately, not everyone is this lucky. My third year of Girl Guides we talked a lot about service projects and I was working really hard to get my interest badges. I wanted my event planning badge and decided (along with the help of my mom and my synchronized swimming coach) to create an MS Sync or Swim-A-Thon to help the MS Society raise money to help local people with MS as well as to aid in the research to find a cure. It was a great success that first year raising $2300, and the girls had so much fun our Synchro Club has made it an annual event. The second year raising another $2500. I can't wait until next year to see what we can do. And to think it was all because of a Girl Guide interest badge and thinking about a service project. I love Pathfinders and how it gets me thinking about the world and other people, but mostly how it helps me take action and make a difference.

Samantha, BC

Samantha is one of the most hardworking, driven and passionate people I have ever met. She is one to take charge, she’s the girl to be the life of the party. However, when something needs to get done she just goes ahead and does it. No hesitations, no questioning, just goes and does it. In high-pressured situations she knows how to handle herself and those around her. She handles well under stress and is inclusive of everyone else. Her mom works as a flight attendant, so Samantha gets the opportunity to work for Air Canada. She helps with “Dreams Take Flight”, which is an amazing cause helping the less fortunate travel to Disney Land. She has been helping with this program annually for a long time. Samantha is incredibly generous, she has two younger brothers. She cooks 3-4 meals a week for them, to helps her mom who works hard and is dedicated. Samantha is incredibly mature, she acts as a mother in many situations. Talking with her brothers or convincing us to not do anything stupid that could cause us to hurt ourselves. There is no one who I personally know of who deserves this award more than Samantha. She’s such a leader and inspiration to me, to my peers at school, and to girls in my patrol.

Shaelyn, BC

I am nominating Shaelyn because she is everything that this award stands for! She has done a solo bottle drive, raising over $1,000, for the neonatal unit at Kelowna General Hospital. She has also made crafts and sold them to raise money to purchase presents for kids at Christmas who normally wouldn't receive any. Shaelyn has also organized a book drive to give books to kids who don't own any. On top of all of that she volunteers time to sing for seniors at the nursing home and volunteers with the local skating club teaching the Canskate program to little kids. Shaelyn is a role model to me and everyone around her!

Cassandra, QC

I consider myself one of the luckiest people alive because I have a family who loves me, I am born in a safe country, have access to an education, food and water at the tip of my fingers at all times. Sadly, I know that's not the case for others. I started helping others when I was four. My cousin had just been diagnosed with cancer. Though I didn’t understand what it meant, I knew something was wrong. For my fifth birthday party, I asked that instead of gifts donations would be made to hospital where my cousin was treated. A few years later, I partnered with an organization called Smile Train and raised enough money to help six children receive corrective surgery for their cleft palate, a surgery they needed but otherwise could not afford. That year, I joined my school team and helped organize projects throughout the school year that focused on helping others in need. In grade six, I started fundraising to build a school in India. Just under two years later, I had completed raising the $10,000 needed to build it. Due to my efforts, I was awarded the Governor General’s award for Caring Canadians. Since then, I have worked on several other projects including providing zinc tablets to zinc deficient countries, gifting goats to families in Kenya and am currently working on raising five thousand dollars to build a sustainable water system in India. Along with this, I am in my fourth year of volunteering with an organization called WIAIH which works with those who are differently abled, and I am a Special Olympics coach in Track and Field and Softball.

Eliza, BC

I am nominating myself for the Change Maker Award because I am committed to creating a better world around me. Both inside and outside of Girl Guides, I work to create meaningful change. I believe in making small changes to amplify the good that already exists in the world. I went on a service trip to Tanzania over the summer of 2018 with Girl Guides, we helped to build a school, fetched water, and helped repair huts. I also regularly volunteer my time with younger units, to help leaders and share my love of Guiding with younger members. Outside of guiding I am an extremely active member of my school community, there isn't an extracurricular I don't do. I am a member of my school's gay-straight alliance, educating those who have questions and providing support to those who need it. I am also involved in student council, creating change within my school for the benefit of our student body. I am also a mentor for young girls interested in robotics, this involves teaching them coding, building, and troubleshooting. I am an organizer for an annual school event promoting self-esteem and self-love to teenage girls within my school district. The event is called Beautiful You; it is student organized and student led. Finally, I am a member of the Be The Change Team at my school, we are committed to helping those in our community. We recently held a book drive for a local elementary school.

Alyrra, AB

Alyrra helps out with younger Girl Guide groups in our district. She loves to go camping with them. She seems to really like working with kids and showing them new skills and teaching them. She also does a lot of volunteering with her skating club, working with the younger kids teaching them to learn how to skate. She is always willing to cover girls that are sick or away for their shifts also. When kids see her inside or outside of skating they get so excited. She also volunteers at skating competitions and events. She always tries to include everyone around her. She speaks English, French and basic Spanish but if that wasn’t enough she also taught herself sign language and this year she is learning Japanese also so that she can communicate with more people to make them feel accepted. She has also been volunteering with Calgary Stampede parade, Alberta Days, Canada 150 and Storybook theatre to name some of them. She really likes volunteering at GlobalFest because she gets to see the fireworks. She really loves animals also so I think she will end up working with them also, but she isn’t old enough yet to help at the shelters.

Aly, NS

Aly is an amazing example of someone who deserves this award. Aly spends every day making friends, being kind, is outgoing and a very well-rounded human. She is becoming a life guard and has been in Girl Guides for 11 years. She dedicates every moment to having fun and making sure everyone else has fun too. She is a friend to all and is creating a better world by being one. She impacts the community with her volunteer hours, most of the time you will find her either studying hard or at the hospital volunteering her time. Aly deserves recognition.