SLD hopes to get 300 participants in this year’s Get Involved Week

With more than 30 activities and a good cause to support, Kwantlen’s student leadership and development hopes to see an increase in participation in this year’s Get Involved – Give Back Challenge Week.

“[We had] 60 students and 20 employees [involved] last year,” Kurt Penner, coordinator of student leadership and development, said. It was the first time that there were more students than staff involved, and they raised more than $700 for Free The Children’s education campaign.

The aim for this year is not only to raise a bit more for the charity, but to also get more people involved.

“We’re trying to improve that to 300 [people] this year,” said Penner. “The primary goal is actually the community building. It’s really a secondary goal to generate some funds for charity. If we could raise $1,000, we’d be happy at this point.”

The event is an opportunity for students to show their school spirit by participating in challenges and trying a variety of activities. Each campus has its own calendar of events, including yoga, Zumba dance classes, belly dancing, ice hockey and kickboxing. There are also fun challenges like tug-of-war, Scrabble and a turban-tying contest. In addition to campus activities, there are events happening off campus, such as climbing the Grouse Grind.

There is a minimum $10 donation fee, 100 per cent of which goes to Free The Children.

According to Penner, Free The Children was chosen because the international charity supports young people in underprivileged areas.

“Free The Children organization supports educational programs and it seemed like a good step to have the charity be part of something educational,” said Penner.

According to the charity’s official site, its goal is to “free children from poverty and exploitation and free young people from the notion that they are powerless to affect positive change in the world.”

It has successfully built more than 650 school around the world.

Get Involved – Give Back Week starts Sept. 20 and ends Sept. 25. For more information, see the event website.