The students and teachers at Riverbend Junior High have stepped up yet again in their ongoing support of Bissell Centre – this time with A Taste of Riverbend.
This annual food and culture fair is the brainchild of Wes Wintonyk and his Grade 9 Leadership Class. Designed to celebrate the diversity of the local community, each student is responsible for two food stations representing nations spanning the entire globe – from India to Germany, Korea, and even the North Pole! This is yet to speak of live entertainment including Scottish bagpipes and Caribbean steel drums.
As part of Riverbend Junior High’s multi-year commitment to Bissell, all funds raised through the event on April 20 go to support our work in the community. Brisk ticket sales and generous food donations from local businesses mean that this vibrant, creative event will also provide us with financial resources that are always needed. The students make a genuine difference in the community.
On behalf of everyone at Bissell Centre, I would like to thank all of the parents, volunteers, business owners, teachers and students who made A Taste of Riverbend so successful.
Every day at Bissell Centre, we are grateful for the inspiring support we receive from volunteers. Meg Bernard became acquainted with Bissell Centre while volunteering for the Grade 9 Leadership Class at Riverbend Junior High – with whom we have formed a long standing and successful partnership.
What makes Meg’s story so compelling is the dedication that she shows to her family and her community. She creates the space to volunteer despite the time demands of a young family affected by autism, spinal complications, tourette’s, OCD and herself – Parkinson’s disease. It is her drive and enthusiasm for a better future that motivates her to volunteer.
“When I see ‘Where Hope Finds Help’ it brings to mind the difficult times in my life when I have been clinging to hope and needed the help of others to come out on the other side. I have lived a comfortable life, but there are many times when I have needed help, kindness, forgiveness, love, and someone to lean on. When I look at the participants at Bissell Centre, I can see myself in them. We all need a place where our hope finds help.
I believe in Bissell Centre’s mission to ‘empower people to move from poverty to prosperity’. If I can use the gifts and talents that I have been blessed with to help empower the participants of Bissell Centre then I feel that I have made a worthwhile contribution to the community and have made a genuine difference in the world.”
Meg has made a remarkable difference in her community. In addition to her work with Riverbend Junior High, she provides entertainment at Bissell Centre events and plays a key role in the fundraising efforts for our upcoming Bissellebration Gala on May 5.
“I have been blessed with a great life and God gave me gifts and talents that I can use to help others. My goal is to use these gifts to help others find the same joy, safety, security and happiness that I am fortunate enough to have. I am grateful to have a place like Bissell Centre to help me on my journey to achieve these goals. I look forward to a long relationship with Bissell Centre.”
March 1st was a night that many students, volunteers, and Edmontonians will never forget. Grade Nine Leadership Students at Riverbend Junior High School, along with help from Grade Eight Leadership Students and all other class rooms, as well as volunteers, organized and hosted an impressive concert and silent auction – Benefit for Bissell 2012, presented by Lexus of Edmonton – at the beautiful Citadel Theatre.
As guests arrived they were escorted upstairs to the silent auction tables where 65 items were on display for bidding. Among the most notable were a signed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins jersey, a signed Taylor Hall jersey, a hot air balloon ride, numerous gift baskets and other fabulous items donated by local businesses.
Local performers (listed below) donated their time and talent to ensure the students reached their goal of raising $15,000 for Bissell Centre and in support of our vision to eliminate poverty in our community.
– Maren Ord – Juno nominee
– Livy Jeanne – award winning country singer/songwriter
– Madi Amyotte – The Next Star finalist
– Martin Kerr – Canadian Idol contestant
– Jeff Ramsey – local musician
The night’s host, Ryan Jespersen from Citytv’s Breakfast Television, was entertaining as always. Also in attendance was Mayor Stephen Mandel who delivered an inspirational message about youth leadership and ending poverty in Edmonton, and Honourable Dave Hancock, Minister of Human Services who gave a speech about addressing the issues of homelessness as a community.
Year after year Riverbend Jr. High continues to raise money for Bissell Centre by organizing coin drives, hot lunches, dances, and much more. This year they were able to exceed their fundraising goal for the Benefit for Bissell Concert by securing sponsorships, numerous donations, selling tickets to the event, and through a well organized silent auction. Their hard work paid off and they raised approximately $23,000 for Bissell Centre!
We are extremely grateful and continuously impressed by the kind hearts and leadership skills of the students at Riverbend Jr. High School. Keep up the great work class, these skills will take you very far in your life!
