Page 26 - Brandon Sun - 2018 Community Leader Awards

26 • COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS 2018 THE BRANDON SUN • THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2018

» YOUTH VOLUNTEER AWARD, SPONSORED BY BRANDON UNIVERSITY

Newcomer already making a signifcant impact on Brandon

BY MELISSA VERGE
Martina Francisco has only been in
Brandon for about a year, but she’s
already making a significant impact in
the community through her volunteer
work.
Francisco moved from the Philippines
to Brandon when she was in Grade 10.
Now, she’s in Grade 11 and staying
involved with various programs
including the Youth Revolution group, which creates and
organized activities and events to reduce drug and alcohol use
in children and youth.
Francisco is also part of the Brandon Youth Ambassadors.
Through these groups, she’s helped better the community
of Brandon.
The 17-year-old was part of the Push For Change Program
that helped to raise awareness for homeless youth across
Canada.
The initiative was started by Joe Roberts, who was a
homeless youth who decided to push a shopping cart across
Canada to raise awareness about youth homelessness.
Francisco had a role in the initiative, “I provided support
during the fundraising activities held here in Brandon,” she
said.
She’s also participated in bake sales to help raise funds for
the Youth Centre.
Her role volunteering in the community has not only
benefited others, but also helped her adjust to life in Canada.
“At first it was really challenging to start a new life here, but
I think that volunteering also helped me adapt to the
surroundings,” she said.
“I met a lot of great friends which share the same idea of
helping.”
Francisco, who currently attends Vincent Massey High
School in Brandon, has been able to get some of her classmates
at school on board as well. Some are only in Grade 9 or Grade
10, but are now helping out at the Brandon Youth Centre.
“I feel like by doing the small things I can start inspiring
other people to do the same, because it [volunteering] doesn’t
really cost anything, just your time and your effort,” she said.
She already has big goals for the future. They still involve
helping people, just in a different way then she is now.
“I’m planning to attend pre-medical school and probably be
a doctor some day,” she said.
Although Francisco doesn’t get paid for the work she does
throughout the community on top of attending school, it’s
rewarding for her in other ways.
Like, when she see’s the benefit of the work she’s doing in
the community, whether it’s something small like doing a bake
sale, or helping out with the Push For Change program in
Brandon.
“I think this is a great opportunity to tell other people that
volunteering is great and it’s not worthless, like you can gain
something from it,” she said.

» mverge@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @Melverge5

Anna Zayvoda stands inside of
Vincent Massey High School
where she currently goes to
school. (Melissa Verge/Brandon Sun)

Volunteering to help seniors a win-win for Zayvoda

BY MELISSA VERGE It turned out to be beneficial to her as well as
the people she was helping out with her
A year ago, Anna Zayvoda was living in volunteer work.
Ukraine and unable to speak English. “Volunteering helped me learn English a lot
Since the 17-year-old has moved to Brandon, because a lot of people who I volunteer with
she’s not only learned to speak the language but help me to experience a lot of things and learn
given a lot to the community through her English,” she said.
volunteer work. English is the newest of four Zayvoda enjoys the social aspect of
languages that Zayvoda speaks — the others volunteering where she has met a lot of different
are French, Russian, and Ukrainian. people in the community.
Since moving to Canada she’s become a Besides the work she’s done with seniors,
member of Youth Revolution at Vincent she’s also volunteered at the Brandon Youth
Massey School, where she’s in Grade 11. It’s a Centre. There, she volunteered with kids where
group that does charitable activities throughout she played with them and kept them
the community. entertained.
One of the activities they recently did was She also volunteered for the initiative Push
visit a senior’s home in Brandon, where they For Change, that helped to raise awareness for
had cookies, talked, and played games. homeless youth across Canada. The initiative
Volunteering with seniors is something that was started by Joe Roberts, who was a homeless
Zayvoda really enjoys. youth who decided to push a shopping cart
“I really like to help people, and help people across Canada to raise awareness about youth
who maybe don’t have enough communication homelessness. Zayvoda helped raise money for
with others, and some of them really needed homeless youth by participating in various
to talk to someone,” Zayvoda said. fundraising events, such as a barbecue.
She also enjoys the work she does with For her, volunteering is becoming a part of
senior’s specifically because of the knowledge who she is and her daily life, “a hobby” as she
they have to offer. called is.
“They teach [me] some stuff, they’re really “I feel happy after doing this because I know
interesting people,” she said. we’re helping people and maybe change
She started volunteering not long after she someone’s life,” she said.
moved to Canada, when her English teacher at
Vincent Massey brought it up to her after a » mverge@brandonsun.com
month of living in Brandon. » Twitter: @Melverge5