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***This is a guest post from Brett Walker, General Manager at Collette Vacations!***

The Stanley Park Ecology Society (SPES) connects children, ages 5-12, with the splendor of Vancouver’s natural environment. Funding from the Collette Foundation and support from Collette staff has resulted in even greater success in 2012! Having just completed our second year of partnership with SPES, we are proud to acknowledge the achievements thus far as a result of a collaborative effort.  In 2011, 400 children and their families took part in various activities and excursions within the Park hosted by SPES. In 2012, that number grew to more than 800! Visits to the park by school children through the assisted funding of the Collette Foundation grew from 75 to 154 in just one year.

SPES offers inspiring events such as “Explorer Day” field trips as well as weekend exploration days where children and their families spend 2 hours of exploration within the park, learning about native plants and trees, animals and conservation of the local environment.

What child doesn’t like to jump in puddles or run through forest trails pretending they are a great explorer! I’m proud to say, funding from the Collette Foundation has enabled SPES staff to offer educational outreach programs to children in disadvantaged areas, but more importantly have had the ability to offer subsidies to schools so that children have the opportunity to visit and explore the Park!

As the philosopher Lao Tze once said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Through continued funding from the Collette Foundation in 2013 and efforts of both SPES staff and volunteers, the quest to engage and teach children about the wonders of nature will continue.

Our Cultural Connections initiative in Canada has some great news to report! As well as the monthly club gatherings that focused respectively on “Our Friends the Frogs”, “Ocean Commotion”, “Bugs Alive”, and “Seedy Characters”, during July and August the Stanley Park Ecology Society (SPES) which we partner with hosted 15 day camps with approximately 288 campers between the ages of 3-13 in large part due to the funding from the Collette Foundation.

These day camps had their own nature explorer themes:  “Stanley Park Survivor”, “Wildlife Safari”, and “Nature Detectives” were the most popular programs. Stanley Park Survivor — geared towards ages 9-13 – teaches basic outdoor skills, while Wildlife Safari and Nature Detectives — both geared toward younger children — emphasize the diverse habitat and plant and animal species in Stanley Park.

As the children learned about bow drills, Douglas firs, making nature shelters and insects and birdlife, we all considered the camps to be a huge success. The kids felt happy, engaged and empowered — and the instructors all felt incredibly rewarded.

One of the Tour Managers on a Collette Vacations Canadian Rockies tour experienced the work of SPES with a visit with her group and remarked:

“ I scheduled my meeting with the Stanley Park representatives in the afternoon. After our city tour, I took the group back to meet them at Beaver Lake… We were super lucky and the Beaver came out and swam around – it was great – and my guests loved it, both times. They loved hearing about what the Collette Foundation is doing in Canada, and hearing the people from Stanley Park Ecology Society describe how much the children are engaging in their culture.”

Meet Gary – an Ambassador for the SuAnne Big Crow Boys and Girls Club at the Pine Ridge Reservation. In this one-on-one interview, Gary sits down with guest blogger, Meghan Kelly, and tells the story of how a little hope can go a long way… even in the face of tragedy.

So you’re a Collette Foundation Ambassador! Have you always wanted to do that?

I always kept it in the back of my mind that I’d like to get involved with a really worthwhile cause in a very hands-on way. In the past, I have made monetary donations to some great causes and have walked for Jimmy Fund… but I’ve never really rolled my sleeves up to help. I have been keeping an eye out for a project that would be a good fit.

How did you learn about the Pine Ridge Reservation?

A friend from the Collette Foundation mentioned the SuAnne Big Crow Boys and Girls Club on the Pine Ridge Reservation to me; I was instantly intrigued, but I always research a project before jumping in. What I discovered in my research astonished me. SuAnne Big Crow was a star athlete, standout student… and an inspiration to the youth of Pine Ridge. She always encouraged them and wanted the best for all of them. When an NBC broadcast negatively portrayed the youth from the Pine Ridge Reservation, SuAnne was infuriated. She told her family of her dream to someday have a building where children at Pine Ridge could be safe, learn and be encouraged to excel.

When SuAnne tragically perished in a car accident at just 17 years old, her mother Chick Big Crow, decided to fulfill her daughter’s dream in her honor. Chick – along with the help of the National Boys and Girls Club of America – created the first site for a Native American Boys and Girls Club. I learned the story and I knew that I had to help.

What was the site like upon your first visit?

When I arrived at the club, I saw a beautiful building that had been built 10 years ago. The outside filled me with a sense of hope. When I stepped inside, however, I saw that the building was in disrepair. Most of the lighting did not work, the facility was very dirty and the pool had no cycling water, which created a foul smell throughout the building. The facility didn’t have enough funds to open on a regular basis and there were only two employees, Chick and a single volunteer. 130 Native American children were signed up for the club, but there would be 20 kids at most on an average day. During that first visit, there were only three children there. It was sad and made me want to immediately get to work.

What kind of work have you done?

I’ve met with people who could potentially improve this club – from the Health Education and Promotion Council of South Dakota and the American Red Cross to Tribal leaders, Indian health services and executives from the Governor’s Office.

During my next four visits, I examined the club in detail, taking inventory of what was needed. I studied their accounting and attendance records while making sure the funds the Collette Foundation had donated were being spent properly. I got my hands dirty with fixing things and cleaning up the club making it a more appealing place for kids in hopes to boost attendance. I had also become a member of the Board of Directors for the club and was able to meet some of the other members to brainstorm plans for the club.

What has improved since your first visit?

The biggest improvement that I have seen at the club is its morale. There is hope now. While the club still cannot afford to hire employees, Chick has at her side enough volunteers to feed and work with the children. The club is now open three days a week and in the past twelve months there have been substantial improvements in the club’s equipment. All the lights have been fixed, their restaurant is working on a 5-day schedule, the pool is cleaned, there are fully functional pool tables. There is an art room and six working computers. Since getting involved, I am happy to note that the club has received more financial contributions and an increased amount of children attending on a daily basis.

So what’s next for you and the Club?

One of the main short-term goals is to have the club fully operating almost every day of the week. We want to make sure that the key programs of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America are re-instated into this club and children are participating in them on a regular basis. We are looking to build an endowment of $7 million within the next two years and are hoping to raise $350,000 in small grants and donations.

We hope to improve the restaurant as well – so the children can enjoy healthier food. We are hoping to build a wellness center for members and to create some work preparation programs for older members.

I imagine that Chick is pretty happy with the partnership…

She’s so grateful and happy to work with the Collette Foundation – just as we’re so elated to work with her in achieving SuAnne’s dreams. She’s come so far. From the seed of an idea planted after tragedy, she’s watched the club grow from a tiny building to where it is now. She’s watched that building flourish into the place it is today… and I think she has hope it can be all SuAnne wanted it to be. And more.

Any plans to return?

Of course! I actually just returned from a visit last week. The club celebrated its 20th anniversary… and 10th anniversary of the main building. What’s truly moving is that June 2nd has now been declared SuAnne Big Crow Day in South Dakota! It was a wonderful celebration with a lot of faces to show how much support it now has behind it. It was full of promise.

We have so many great plans ahead. Stay tuned!

Guest Blogger: Brett Walker (Canada Team Ambassador)

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I cannot express what a wonderful experience Team Canada had recently during a very hands-on exploration of our project: The Young Naturalists of Stanley Park – a part of The Stanley Park Ecology Society (SPES) – the Canada project for the Collette Foundation. It was called “A Day at the Park” — and in attendance were about 30 people including the Young Naturalist kids and their accompanying parents. Also in attendance were staff from SPES, Collette staff from our Langley office as well as Bethany Manchester, the Canada Product Manager and several tour managers who visit this park regularly on tour. Adults and children alike rolled up their sleeves and were active participants in this great outdoor experience.

We were all so thrilled to get involved with a day of activities with the Young Naturalists. SPES calls this beautiful park a big classroom — and for me, it was wonderful to walk through such a fascinating classroom. I definitely learned so much as did the ever-eager children. The day started out with kids and SPES staff taking a stroll around Lost Lagoon and identifying local bird species (migratory, over wintering, and local among them) and discussing different habitat requirements for birds, ways to conserve and create habitats (planting native species at home, strategies the Park could practice, and how the city could execute plans to help).

Older kids (aka Collette staff and friends) took part in invasive species removal in the park while the kids explored and learned more about bird habitats. The absolute best part of the day for all was when the “Big” kids and little kids alike convened at the Nature House to create ‘birdie buffets!’ Some might call them giant pine cone bird feeders. It was messy and interesting and an absolute blast.

SPES did a stand-out job creating the theme and activities; it was perfect for the spring season as migratory birds begin to find their way back through and into Stanley Park and local neighbourhoods.

After the lunch break, the team embarked on a dedicated walk early in the afternoon on trails that allowed SPES to explain the cultural and ecological co-evolution of Stanley Park and how SPES is engaged on all levels from advice to Park Board regarding endangered species to active habitat enhancements and the education made available to schools, the public, tourists and locals alike.

It was an unforgettable – but most of all FUN – experience for all. For me, I got to see up close the program in action that the Collette Foundation supports. The look on the children’s faces, their enthusiasm, the passion of SPES, and the pride of the parents present… it made me feel truly proud to be a part of this.

Oh the majesty and grandeur that is Stanley Park! No visit to Vancouver would be complete without at least a drive through Stanley Park. But few visitors to Vancouver are aware of how expansive the park really is. At just over 400 hectares or 1000 acres – it’s huge! Not sure how huge 400 hectares really are? As a frame of reference, most people are familiar with Central Park in NYC. Well, Stanley Park is 10% larger then Central Park, making it the largest urban park in North America and arguably the most beautiful urban park in the world!

Collette visits the world. The Collette Foundation aims to make the world a better place; to conserve beautiful spots like Stanley Park; to offer the children of the world brighter futures. The Stanley Park Ecology Society (SPES) “promotes awareness of and respect for the natural world and plays a leadership role in the stewardship of Stanley Park through collaborative initiatives in education, research and conservation.” That’s their mission. And I’m thrilled that we are part of it. The educational programs that teach children about science and nature and conservation is part of a bigger promise that the Collette Foundation has made. Travelers have been so excited to learn from a SPES member about the important programming the society is responsible for within the Park.

It’s a beautiful park. Stunning, really. But knowing about the good work happening there, knowing how the children are benefitting from its existence, makes it all the more beautiful.

Volunteers from the Collette Foundation once again joined forces with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America for a great cause. In the past, we have worked with them in Pawtucket, Rhode Island as well as on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. We teamed up in Las Vegas to create care packages for our troops in Afghanistan. 57 volunteers from Collette joined 13 youth from the Boys & Girls Club for this GREAT cause. Kelly Nevins, the Director of our Tour Manager department, writes about the experience:

At our annual Tour Manager Symposium, we decided to partner with the Boys & Girls Club of Las Vegas to put together care packages for our troops overseas. 13 youth partnered with teams of tour managers to “shop” from our supply of care package goodies, create thank you cards and decorate the shipping boxes with various pictures and messages of goodwill. Some teams were quick out of the gate to put their box together, but soon realized that the objective wasn’t who could put their packages together the quickest. It took about 1.5 hours to fill 26 boxes, equally divided between male and female troops. Paper airplanes were created, as well as “lace” paper cards and origami that went into the boxes, as well as cards with heartfelt messages.

While the tour managers and kids were working together, they got to know each other. Some of the teens faced difficult pasts and experiences on the homefront but each one had a wonderful, positive attitude. We sang happy birthday to one of the girls who was turning 18 the next day. We also shared our pizza and snacks, which of course, all the teens loved! As boxes were being packaged, some of the tour managers and youth started a paper airplane contest to see whose planes would fly the furthest. There was lots of laughter… it was incredibly rewarding to work with them, to see them enjoy making an impact on others through this project.

Later in the afternoon, the folks from the USO came by to say a few words about how much the troops appreciate it when they receive a box from “home.” Even just the smell of what’s in the box brings smiles to their faces because it smells like home to them. In each box, we had included personal care items like shaving cream and body lotion, as well as snack foods and cereals. The folks from the USO were laughing at the outside of the boxes, which had been decorated with lots of colors, self “portraits” of the teams who put the boxes together and other fun pictures that were sure to bring a smile to the faces of our military personnel.

After the project, several tour managers emphasized how happy they were to do this service during our busy training week. They said it was like a breath of fresh air and a truly humbling experience. I can’t wait to see what we do next time. I sincerely hope that it teams us up once again with the  wonderful Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Great news! The Collette Foundation has successfully helped earn The SuAnne Big Crow Boys and Girls Club located on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation a spot as a member on the Global Giving site for having passed the Winter Challenge we wrote about in late November- to raise $4000 in just 30 days to support this very special US project. We needed to show more than 50 unique donors donated to this worthy cause as well.

We surpassed that number and raised $4,812 from 82 donors! And counting!

This wonderful club seeks to break the cycle of poverty for the children who visit here for leadership training, homework assistance, a safe haven and positive guidance. I am so happy to see that it is going to get the financial boost that it deserves.

THANK YOU to all who helped us meet (and surpass) our goals! Visit the Global Giving site to learn more about this great mission.

I’m thrilled to report the Collette Foundation has made a three-year commitment to the Stanley Park Ecology Society, and it’s youth programming. This commitment allows SPES to actually think beyond the current programming and begin to develop a broader, longer term strategy for youth and nature involvement through public programming. In large part because of this funding, the Young Naturalists’ of Stanley Park is taking shape.

Like its Provincial namesake (YNC of BC) the Young Naturalists’ of Stanley Park will focus on youth ages 5-14 and seek to engage them in activities specifically within Stanley Park, ranging from school field trips; nature stories and crafts to habitat restoration. It’s going to be an exciting year for all of us involved with this initiative.

As part of Global Giving’s Winter Challenge, the Collette Foundation has been tasked to raise $4000 in just 30 days to support one of our US projects – The SuAnne Big Crow Boys and Girls Club located on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

This is a project in need of support. The wonderful children from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation face numerous challenges. For their parents, unemployment, alcoholism, and diabetes rates are significantly higher than the national average. The children are often without positive role models.

The goal of the SuAnne Big Crow Boys & Girls Club is to break the cycle of poverty. The club offers a positive environment. Children have a place to come for homework assistance, job readiness training and a helping hand. This is a place free from drugs, alcohol and discrimination… full of positive leadership they so need.

The hope is that the kids from the club will ultimately have higher self-esteem, pride which will keep them in school, and the ability to make strong choices against drugs, gangs and violence. All programming strives ultimately to create good decision-makers.

The club fills a much needed void, providing one of the only positive places for children in the region. Ideally, these youth will graduate from high school and become successful adults, allowing them to rise from poverty – inspiring the generations to follow.

To donate, please visit the Global Giving website.

I say bring on the winter challenge!

The guide gives a general tour of the park and speaks about the ecology of the park and the projects that are supported by the Collette Foundation. The feedback from travelers has been that they loved the enthusiasm and commentary the SPES staff shared with them.

Members of SPES with Brett Walker, the Collette Foundation ambassador for this project

The Collette Foundation is so excited to partner with SPES to promote nature education and conservation in Stanley Park. SPES hosts thousands of school children and other groups in the park for eco adventures which examine the principles of ecology in a most hands-on way. With the assistance of the foundation, SPES has been able to reduce or eliminate the fees for all of Public Education programs. Specialized projects combining nature and the arts, have been created to connect children to nature in non-traditional ways.