🎄Christmas came early for Pasitos de Luz at Casa Connor from Kids Helping Kids!🎄
Three amazing kids have shown you don’t need a drivers licence, a job, money or college degree to make a big difference in the lives of others. Even the smallest hands can make the biggest difference!
Shelby, Noah and Emma are kids from Alberta, Canada, who used their creative energy to make a difference for kids in need in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico …. and had fun doing it!
These heart-warming stories prove you’re never too young to give back.
Meet 11 year old Shelby
Shelby is an outgoing 11 year old who loves to help out! Shelby volunteered in 2019 to help decorate for an annual Fiesta Fundraiser in Calgary, Canada, that has been raising funds for special needs children in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, since 2011. She learned about the kids who need help and wanted to be part of it all.
When she discovered that the 2020 Fiesta had to be cancelled because of COVID-19 she was disappointed … but also determined. She knew the kids would need help more than ever and wanted to do something. Shelby is always driven by strong empathy and compassion. Helping others comes naturally to her.
Shelby’s Bracelets
I’ve decided to make elastic loom bracelets! These are fun to wear; you can give them as friendship gifts or stocking stuffers for Christmas, or keep them for yourself!
One of Shelbys hobbies is making bracelets. In November 2020, she decided she wanted to help raise funds for the Pasitos de Luz kids that attend at Casa Connor by making and selling loom bracelets. With help from her dad, Brian, and Caring Abroad Society Alberta board member, Erica, they put the wheels in motion.
And the results were amazing. Shelby promoted the cause herself at her local Fort McMurray, Alberta, school and got to work when orders starting coming in. Her bracelets were also advertised online. And, in a period of about 4 weeks, at $5 per bracelet or 2 for $8, Shelby made close to 100 bracelets and raised $453.00!!! But that’s not all her hard work accomplished. She also promoted a matching donation campaign to increase the funds raised. By sending her funds through the matching fund campaign and seeking out other donors to donate, Shelby’s efforts combined to a total of $1,266.00 Canadian dollars raised for the kids!
Shelby says – Covid 19 has really affected families living in Puerto Vallarta that have kids with special needs and the only way we can help them, and beat this virus, is together! I had fun making the bracelets but most of all I liked that I was helping people.
🌟 🌟 🌟 Shelby you are amazing and you are a star! 🌟 🌟 🌟
Meet 13 year old Noah and 17 year old Emma
Like Shelby, both Emma, age 17, and Noah, age 13, love to help others. Emma attended Emily Follensbee Scool in Calgary at the same time as Connor Vanderveen. Connor passed away in 2011 and the home of Pasitos de Luz is Casa Connor named in his memory. Both Emma and Noah have attended the Casa Connor Fiesta event as a family for several years, and Noah also volunteered at the event in 2018 and 2019. This year, with the event being cancelled, they were still anxious to help! The family ties to the Pasitos de Luz cause made Emma and Noah determined to help in any way they could.
Emma and Noah’s Bookmarks
Noah loves to draw and Emma loves helping others and is very compassionate. They decided to put their interests and talents to work. When they discovered fundraising was occurring online, they became excited to be involved with Kids Helping Kids. They decided to make bookmarks and sell them for $4 each. The bookmarks were marketed at Emily Follensbee School and on social media. They wanted people to know:
Bookmarks make great stocking stuffers, and we have several different designs to choose from. They also promoted: every dollar that we raise will be donated to Pasitos de Luz at Casa Connor and generously matched by anonymous donors!
In just a few short weeks orders came in for over 100 bookmarks. Emma and Noah raised $436. They sent the money through the matching campaign and were also responsible for added donations. Emma and Noah together were the driving force that saw a total of $1,744 Canadian dollars raised and donated to the Pasitos kids!
When asked why they chose to help – “Emma and Noah wanted to help raise funds for Casa Connor because they both know how important therapy and supports are for children with disabilities. Emma benefits greatly from her therapy and wanted to help children who do not have access to the same sort of funding that she does, to ensure that they can get the help they need.”
🌟 🌟 Noah and Emma, you are amazing and you are stars! 🌟 🌟
