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Ava Koldenhof (left) with Ed Gavsie (right) and an envelope containing $1,500 for her donation to the Christmas Fund.

Photo courtesy Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives

Opal Chen, a student at Woodward Elementary School constructed a six-foot papier-mâché sturgeon out of recyclable materials.

Photo courtesy Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives

RBC, sponsor of the Community Accelerator program, gives an opportunity for young people to develop skills, gain experience, and forge connections.

Photo courtesy Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives

Inspiring stories to start the New Year

By Richmond Sentinel

Published 11:39 PST, Mon January 15, 2024

Last Updated: 11:41 PST, Mon January 15, 2024

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Growing up and giving back:

It may be a new year, but this story starts nearly a decade ago, back in 2015.

At the time, Ava Koldenhof was a Grade 4 student at Dixon Elementary School. Her family had always stressed the importance of community involvement and charitable giving, which prompted Ava—with support from her grandmother—to launch her own fundraising initiative, called Ava's Angels.

She and her grandmother began making and selling a variety of angel charms and ornaments, with proceeds benefitting local charities. Ava's first donation, totaling $500, was to the Richmond Christmas Fund.

Year after year, Ava kept making angels—and donations. She gave to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Richmond Food Bank, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, among other organizations.

Along the way, she was recognized for her efforts, winning the News 1130 Unsung Hero Contest and, in 2018, being named the Rick Hansen Foundation's Student Difference Maker of the Year.

Ava had set a fundraising goal of $10,000, and in the summer of 2021, she was nearly there. To reach the milestone, she decided to bring things full circle and donate, once again, to the Christmas Fund. This time, her gift was $1,000.

Since then, Ava has continued her community involvement. She began serving as the Christmas Fund's first ever Youth Ambassador, and in 2023, she received a Volunteers Are Stars Award, honouring her achievements as a young community leader.

Ava is now in Grade 12, and we understand that her educational journey may take her away from Richmond, to somewhere new. If that's the case, she provided an extremely generous going away present.

Earlier this month, Ava and her mother stopped by the RCRG office with an envelope containing $1,500. It was a donation for the Christmas Fund, the proceeds coming from a fundraising campaign started by a kind-hearted nine-year-old, who has grown up before our eyes.

A creative art project sparks conservation awareness:

Last fall, Opal Chen, a student at Woodward Elementary School, successfully applied for a Youth Neighbourhood Small Grant, receiving $500 to organize a workshop in which she'd teach other young people about conservation and recycling.

To pique their interest, she turned to art—specifically, papier-mâché. In addition to a presentation on the value of recycling, the workshop would feature a participatory art project, where attendees would work together to create an animal out of recycled materials.

After some research, Opal decided upon a sturgeon, due to its local connection, and the fact that it's particularly vulnerable to water pollution, as it often ingests plastic particles.

The workshop was held in her school gym, with 85 students and parents in attendance. After the presentation, which highlighted both recycling and sturgeon conservation, participants divided into two groups.

The first applied papier-mâché to a sturgeon made of bottles, Styrofoam, cardboard, and other recycled materials. The second painted a six-foot papier-mâché sturgeon that Opal had built at home.

When the art project was finished, Opal asked participants to complete an online survey, which came back with overwhelmingly positive feedback on both the educational and creative aspects of the workshop.

She had earned every bit of praise, having turned her $500 grant into a fun and inspiring community project. It's probably best that the two sturgeon aren't released into the Fraser, but hopefully, they'll find a good home.

Applications for the 2024 Neighbourhood Small Grants program open March 7. Click here for the latest updates.

A different kind of scholarship

At RCRG, we're passionate about youth leadership development. The latest example of this is our Community Accelerator program, which gives young people an opportunity to develop skills, gain experience, and forge connections that will help them become successful social entrepreneurs.

The program's lead sponsor is RBC—an ideal fit, since the company is as passionate as we are about supporting and empowering youth. Look no further than RBC Future Launch, a 10-year, $500 million initiative aimed at preparing young people for the future of work.

Which brings us to the RBC Future Launch Scholarship. The financial award, valued at $1,500, is available to youth between the ages of 15 and 29 who either aren't going to school, or are only enrolled part time.

If you have a plan for the future, but aren't quite sure how to get there, this scholarship can help you take that all-important next step. It can be used for a short-term course, a workshop, a certificate program, or any books or equipment you'll need to succeed.

The path to your dream career may not run in a straight line. There may be a detour or two along the way. But one thing's certain: an RBC Future Launch Scholarship will keep you moving forward, towards your ultimate goal.

Applications are open year-round, and are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Submit yours today.