Kids raising money for kids: celebrating Stollery Superstars
The seventh annual Stollery Superstars Party was held Sunday, celebrating children who raised money to help other children.
The Stollery Children's Hospital is a pediatric hospital with some of the "highest inpatient volumes of any children's hospital in Canada," according to Alberta Health Services.
"This is all about making kids feel special, telling them the impact they're having, making a day where we can celebrate them," said Martin Schuldhaus, the Stollery's vice president of marketing and communications.
The children raise money through events like lemonade stands, making and selling jewellery and even donating Christmas and birthday presents.
"As a parent, there's a lot of pride when you see your children be selfless and make that choice," said Schuldhaus. "Giving their birthday money and giving up Christmas gifts and realizing that you can have an impact on someone else that you don't even know, I think that's really powerful.
"It teaches young people the power of philanthropy, it teaches them how to build their communities, teaches them really good values, and the parents tell us that all the time, that this is really special for (kids) and their siblings."
So far, the program has raised over $1 million, with last year's fundraising total being $205,745.
"I wanted to help those children get out of the hospital and get better," said seven-year-old Eliana Bulfon.
"It's nice to help all the sick children because it's sad they have to deal with all that while we're outside having fun," added her older brother Marco Bulfon.
Some of the money raised is going towards initiatives at the hospital like mental health care and renovating the Beach, a play space and area for therapeutic programs for patients and families.
Around 90 Stollery Superstars were able to make it out to Sunday's event.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Testifying in hush money trial, adult film actor Stormy Daniels describes first meeting Trump
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential election 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
Katy Perry's mom was fooled by AI images of the singer at the Met Gala
Katy Perry did not attend the Met Gala on Monday, but some of the singer’s fans – and even her mom – thought she did.