Lucky kids across Calgary may unknowingly have been eating a meal prepared by an Olympian for lunch on Friday.
A dozen team Canada athletes volunteered at Brown Bags for Calgary’s Kids (BB4CK) to help prepare sandwiches for the some-8,000 students the organization feeds daily. Roles on the assembly line ranged from butter and jelly spreaders to sandwich sealers. The meals will end up in the hands, and then mouths and tummies, of BB4CK supported kids.
The athletes’ visit supports BB4CK’s end-of-year initiative, called Stories of BB4CK, which highlights the many people who come together every school day to make and deliver lunches.
“As part of that, we had the opportunity to invite some of our good friends who have been part of the Olympic Games to join us,” Bethany Ross, BB4CK’s Executive Director said.
This is the first time the organization has partnered in this way with Team Canada.
The campaign aims to raise $1 million by year’s end to deliver 250,000 lunches to children throughout Calgary.
“Our organization is constantly looking to engage the community to care for kids. This is an opportunity during this particular month, where we’re sharing stories of our community and the way that they care for each other and the impact that has for folks to get engaged in that way in particular,” Ross said.
“We’re hoping to inspire folks to be part of the community by listening to stories.”
Morgan Rackel, a Softball athlete who represented Canada at the Pan American Games in 2023 and 2019, said that as a born and raised Calgarian, helping causes like BB4CK’s is important.
“I decided to do it because I’m not in Calgary that often with travel and softball. So, anytime I’m in town, I try to give back, because I know the winter athletes do the same in the summer,” she said.
Rackel said that even giving one lunch to a kid who needs it makes the day a success and bonding with other athletes is a plus.
“I find it super cool and awesome. We’re all bonded just because we represent Canada on a large scale, at our own specific events, but I like seeing people’s different perspectives and how we can all come together to support the community that helped us and grew us,” she said.
As Canadian role models, having the athletes make sandwiches for Calgary’s kids is a special privilege, according to Ross.
“We’re seeing communities come together and care for each other and our neighbours and caring for kids, anytime that happens, anytime we can get lunches out to kids who need them, that’s a win,” she said.
“I think for this in particular, we’re really excited to have some folks who are role models in the community, be able to participate and share that story with others, with their communities.”
To kick off BB4CK’s end of year campaign, Rogers has donated $107,561.81 to the cause, funded through their record breaking Rogers Charity Classic earlier this year.
After partnering with more than 300 charities, the event raised a total of $26.6 million.
Each charity received 100 per cent of donations collected on their behalf, plus up to 50 per cent in matched funding provided by the Rogers Charity Classic, according to a Rogers-issued press release.
