On June 18 – Let The Games Begin!
This month, our focus is on putting the “fun” in “fundraising”! HOPE (Helping Other People Everywhere) is an organization that hosts an annual volleyball tournament on the Toronto Island as a way to raise money for a number of great local charities. TVB is looking for volunteers and/or people interested in playing on June 18 to help out HOPE!
The HOPE Volleyball Tournament offers volleyball for all levels of competition, and provides a great atmosphere with music, entertainment and a beer garden. HOPE is about “Helping People and Having Fun,” giving TVBers an opportunity to spend time with new and old friends, and give back to the community in a meaningful way.
Like all great events, volunteers are crucial to the making the event happen, and you can help! Hopefully you will be able to spend the whole day with us, but if not, there are a couple of different shifts available. Help is needed with the setting up of nets, the beer garden and specialty areas on the Friday before the tournament, helping to take down nets and dismantle the event on Saturday afternoon, and helping with the event during the games. We’re very excited for this event and we hope that we can bring a large, enthusiastic group down to the Islands for a great day of fun and volleyball. For additional information about the event, check out the website at www.hopevolleyball.com.
If you’re interested in signing up with TVB to help out, either as a volunteer or as a player (we’ll field a TVB team if we get sufficient interest from the TVB community), please e-mail Mark Grimwood at mark@volunteerbridge.ca or call Mark at 416-955-4263.
Hope to see you there!
TVB Getting Down In The Beach!
On Sunday, May 29th, the Down Syndrome Association of Toronto held its annual “Walk Down In The Beach” which consisted of a 5K walk, a 1K fun walk, and a Children’s Festival. The event featured an atmosphere of family and fun, beautiful weather, great food, and “the voice” of CityTV, Mark Dailey.
To find out more about the event, as well as other up-coming events with the Down Syndrome Association, check out their website at www.dsat.ca
A special thanks goes out to Mary Simms for heading up the TVB effort, and to volunteers Karen, Scott, Mark, and new-comer Stephanie Rodrigues for all of their help and participation at the event.
As you know, we are always on the lookout for other great charitable events that need volunteers on a “drop-in” basis, where everyone can get involved! If you know of an event that might be a good fit, please contact Scott Lawrence at scott@volunteerbridge.ca.
News from Around Town – Other Ways to Get Involved
Our goal at TVB is to increase volunteerism across Toronto. While we hope to get as many people to come out to our events as possible, like the HOPE Volleyball Tournament or Down Syndrome Walk in The Beach, we realize that with busy schedules, that can’t always happen. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still get involved at other times. There is a lot of great charitable work happening in our city every week! Even if you can’t come out to a “TVB event”, we hope you’ll consider taking part in one of the upcoming events described below.
Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada Heel 'n' Wheel-a-thon
The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada is hosting its annual Heel ‘n’ Wheel-a-thon fundraiser on Sunday, June 12, 2005. Last year, thousands of participants raised over $1.28 million for research through the Heel 'n' Wheel-a-Thon. Come out and help us reach our goal of $1.4 million in 2005! For more information on the event, check out the website at www.ccfc.ca.
Rolling Rampage 10K Wheelchair Road Race
On Saturday, June 18, 2005, the Third Annual Rolling Rampage 10K Wheelchair Road Race will hit Queen's Park, Toronto. The event consists of a 1K Wheelchair Relay, 10K Wheelchair Road Race, 10K Inline Skating Race and a Roll for Pledges. Volunteers are needed for a variety of tasks. For more information, check out the website at www.rollingrampage.com.
Partner Spotlight On: EVA’S PHOENIX
TVB is focused on finding great volunteering opportunities for busy young professionals. Each issue of Connections will feature a new TVB charity Partner or an existing Partner that has new opportunities. This month’s Spotlight turns the focus on an incredible organization: Eva’s Phoenix.
Eva’s Phoenix is a transitional housing and training facility in the King and Strachan area of Toronto where 50 youths, aged 16 to 24, may live for up to one year in townhouse-style units. What sets Eva’s Phoenix apart from other youth “shelters” is its innovative partnership-based employment programs that train and find employment for the otherwise homeless youth, particularly in jobs that offer the potential for a long-term career. These programs are supported by a mentorship program and follow-up support once the young person leaves the shelter.
How can you help? Eva’s Phoenix is always looking for volunteers to help in their mentoring program. At some point in most people’s working lives they meet someone who plays a crucial role in their career development. That person can provide advice or guidance, or make introductions and help establish networks, and they can be an important source of perspective and self-confidence.
One of the harsh realities for homeless youth is that they lack any formal or informal networks for practical career advice. For them, a mentor becomes a positive role model who encourages them to develop values and attitudes of success. But he or she is also a support who can provide a link to a wider, healthier support network.
As a mentor, you have the opportunity to have a direct impact on the life of a young person, which can be deeply satisfying. You will also develop your teaching, leadership and communication skills while gaining a very personal insight into issues facing homeless youth. The mentoring program varies in length, from a minimum of three months to long-term. The mentorship coordinator will regularly check in with the mentor and the mentee to make sure both are benefiting from the relationship.
If you are interested in signing up to volunteer with Eva’s Phoenix you can do so by contacting Mark Grimwood at 416-955-4263 or send him an email at mark@volunteerbridge.ca.
What are we doing right?
What could TVB do better?
What are you looking for in a volunteering opportunity?
Want to get involved with TVB?
For any of these issues, or any others that come to mind, please let us know by e-mail at info@volunteerbridge.ca or by phone at 416-957-8029.
Toronto Volunteer Bridge is an entirely volunteer-run organization. All of us are 25-35 years old and live and work across the GTA. TVB is a registered charity.
If you or your company are interested in sponsoring TVB, please e-mail us at sponsor@volunteerbridge.ca.
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TVB Social Postponed
Last issue we asked you to “save the date” of June 2 for the next TVB social event. For a variety of reasons, we’ve elected to postpone the event to July. Stay tuned for more details. We’re looking forward to seeing you in the summer!
Save the date: July 13 - “One-Off” Volunteering EventCome meet other young professionals while you work to make the Toronto waterfront a better place with the Toronto Bay Initiative. We’ll be working down at the Spadina Quay Wetlands from 6 - 8 p.m. – more details to follow! 
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