Young Philanthropists Need Your Vote!

Niagara finalists for Canada's Next Top Young Philanthropists need your vote. People can vote for the youths ideas online at www.youthgive.ca until 11:59pm Friday, July 8. From left, Jaevin Spero, Wesley Prankard and Dakota Lamb

Published in Niagara This Week- July 7, 2011

Every big idea starts with a small step, and three of Niagara's youngest residents have started a journey towards becoming Canada's Next Top Young Philanthropist.

And they need your vote to possibly walk away with up to $10,000 to help implement their visions to make the world a better place.

Wesley Prankard,12, of Niagara Falls and Jaevin Spero, 10 and Dakota Lamb,10, of Welland are finalists in the competition.

All three recently got together to discuss their ideas and why support from their communities is so important.

"It's very important for the community to vote for us," says Spero.
Lamb agrees. "They should vote for us because we are in the community too and we are actually doing this for a good cause."

Spero and Lamb have teamed up to create Wonderful Wishes, a program that will assist parents in giving their child a memorable birthday.

"We entered the contest for the money to help our city and our community," Spero says."We want to help the community by doing Wonderful Wishes for people's birthdays. We want to help parents with whatever they need to make it a special day for their kid, even if they can't afford it at all."

Lamb says there are a lot of progams there to help families during holidays such as Christmas, but birthdays are unique to an individual child; although costly to the parents.

"I think our idea is important because kids need a special day that's just for them and parents might feel bad because they know their kid deserves a party, but they just can't give it to them," he says.

The youngsters have approached the Hope Centre in Welland so they can get connected with those in need.

"We're teaming up with Hope Centre, so say they have someone who needs our help, they will call us and we'll try and get it. If they're in need for birthday stuff like cakes, decorations, treat bags, presents or even a place to have the party, we are going to try our best to make it a great day for the child," Spero says.

While Spero and Lamb are focussing their vision on those in their community, Prankard's vision, Northern Starfish, is extending as far as northern Ontario.

"I entered the contest because I want to put a playground in every single northern community that doesn't have one," he says. "We need to reach out to those in Ontario; it's our own back yard. We need to reach out and help our neighbours. They need something up there and playgrounds would be just a great start to bigger things. It would help. It may be small, but, really, it's pretty big."

Prankard wants to instal 10 playgrounds within one year in northern Ontario communities because he believes it is every child's right to play and a playground can have a positive impact.

"I think it's tragic. Think about it, these communities don't even have a playground, but here in Niagara we have lots. And imagine, this is happening in Ontario. If we can give the children playgrounds it gives them something to do and be proud of and they might not get into drugs or suicides and all that stuff. This will really help," he says.

Through previous fundraising efforts Prankard will be able to build his first playground in the First Nations reserve of Attawapiskat in a couple of weeks, but that's just the beginning.

"I was talking to my dad one day and I thought 10 playgrounds is one million dollars; and one million dollars seems like a simple number. It doesn't seem huge, and I thought we could raise one million; it shouldn't be too hard. So I came up with the goal to build at least 10 playgrounds in one year," he explains. "It will be really hard, but we are going to do our best to do it."

Prankard says it "feels great" to be a finalist in the Canada's Next Top Young Philanthropist competition and he's learned "it's great to be able to put smiles on people's faces."

Spero and Lamb have both learned a lot from the competition as well.

"It's taught me courage," says Spero. "I've learned that I can step up and help people when they need it the most."

"And," adds Lamb. "Even though we are kids we can make a big difference in the world."

The three finalists are supporting each other's ideas and shared some advice with one another.

"Dream big and never give up," Spero says.

"Oh, I've got some advice," says Prankard. "My dad always says if you don't ask; you don't get. I might be nervous about something, and there may be a chance someone will say 'no', but what if I never even ask? There's always 'what if'."

The finalists for Canada's Next Top Young Philanthropist will be narrowed down to 10 based on top votes and judges choice. People may vote for both teams once a day until 11:59pm on July 8, 2011.
To vote for Wonderful Wishes Entry and Northern Starfish Entry go to www.youthgive.ca