free the children

Take Part in the #CallForChange with TELUS and Francesco Yates and You Could Be in a Special MTV We Day Video

September 10, 2015 by Kathryn 18 Comments

About three years ago, the hugely popular We Day came to Saskatchewan for the very first time and I was lucky enough to be seated in the TELUS sponsor booth enjoying every minute of the event. From taking pictures with Shawn Desmond to interviewing Hedley, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that gave me a first-hand look at the good being done by young people across the country.

Over the next three years, I attended every single We Day event in my province. And each time, TELUS was right there as a proud national sponsor of the event that inspires youth in Canada and around the world to stand up, choose a cause and make a difference. Now, TELUS has teamed up with up-and-coming Canadian musician Francesco Yates to create an inspirational music video that will be used to inspire We Day attendants to #CallforChange!

From now until September 20, 2015, participants can upload a video of themselves singing, dancing and jamming to Francesco Yates’ hit song, Call. The videos will be compiled into a special remix video that will be shown at We Day events and on MTV! For full details and to learn how to upload your video, visit mtv.ca/callforchange. [Read more…]

Encourage Your Kids to Support Those in Need with a Free the Children We Bake for Change Sale

February 13, 2015 by Kathryn 4 Comments

For the last three years, I’ve had the honour of attending We Day Saskatchewan and experiencing firsthand the many amazing initiatives that the youth of today are spearheading to make the world a better place. It all started with the formation of the charity Free the Children by We Day’s founder, Craig Kielburger. And Free the Children continues to be a powerful force for change in the world to this day, currently having provided 30,000 women with economic self-sufficiency, 1,000,000 people with clean water and 55,000 children with an education.

If your children are looking for ways to get involved and help others in need, one of the most popular choices is the We Bake for Change fundraiser. Simply gather a group of friends, plan a bake sale and donate the proceedings. It’s a fun and delicious way to support a great cause! Here are five steps to get your kids started: [Read more…]

TELUS Inspires Today’s Youth Through We Day and the We365 App

November 20, 2014 by Kathryn 49 Comments

For the last three years I’ve had the privilege of attending We Day Saskatchewan and I always come out of the event impressed by the passion of today’s youth and inspired to make a bigger difference in the world myself. Teaching my boys about social responsibility and supporting the causes they believe in is a big part of that and this year I decided that my eight-year-old son Zackary was finally old enough to attend We Day with me.

TELUS has been a proud sponsor of We Day each time I attended and this year was no exception. I’ve been a TELUS customer for a long time and while that’s partially because the company offers such amazing smartphone plans, it’s also because of its passion for bettering the world. The ongoing sponsorship of We Day is a perfect example of that.

kathryn lavallee zackary captain phillips — Meeting Captain Phillips!

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Finding Inspiration to Change the World at We Day Saskatchewan with Telus-Giveaway

November 15, 2013 by Kathryn 155 Comments

I think almost everyone feels insignificant at some point, as if their actions couldn’t possibly make a difference in the world. But when one spark ignites to inspire hundreds, then the smallest actions can have a big impact on the world. Craig Kielburger is the perfect example of that philosophy. At just twelve years of age, he read a story about child slavery and was inspired to take action. He talked to his teacher, stood up in front of his class and ignited the spark that would grow to become Free the Children, an international charity and educational partner that operates in 45 different countries.

craig kielburger we day saskatchewan 2013 — Photo Credit: Helena Long

But his work didn’t stop there! As a believer that youth would be the ones that change the world, Craig and his brother Mark joined together in initiatives that would both better the world and inspire young people to make a difference. One of the brothers’ most well-known and inspiring achievements was the founding of We Day, the national celebration of youth leaders in the community. Last year, We Day came to Saskatchewan for the very first time. And this year the event returned once more to celebrate and inspire the 16,000 youth in attendance.

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