Being named SickKids Champion has been an awesome experience! It has allowed me to meet some amazing people and most recently, the people who work for Walmart! Walmart just finished its Round Up campaign and I was honored to be a small part of it.
The Round Up campaign is when Walmart associates ask customers if they would like to round up their bill to the nearest dollar. All proceeds go to CMN (Children’s Miracle Network) who, in turn, take the money and directly support the children’s hospital in that store’s area. I worked with the Walmart stores that raise money for SickKids!
The District Manager, Daryl, invited my Mom and me to a breakfast meeting. We love Daryl because he has a passion for helping others - plus he is super fun and loves rollercoasters like me! He introduced us to his store managers and let me tell my story. You know, it’s the story that makes you take a gulp and thank God every day for SickKids and all the doctors and staff that saved my life and so many other kids.
Because it was a special occasion, my mom even let me order a chocolate and banana crepe with whipped cream for breakfast. It was huge and I did a pretty good job at finishing it, too. Delicious!
My mom and I were invited to speak to the associates at a bunch of Walmart stores at their morning meetings. Thanks Mom for helping me with that! It was such a cool experience because so many people came up to me afterwards and gave me hugs. It feels so good to touch and motivate people.
The highlight of my experience was working with the cashiers at the Erin Mills store. I got to ask the customers if they wanted to “round up”. I loved putting their merchandise in bags and talking to them. It was a great feeling when they said, “of course” and personally thanking them for making a difference!
This year, Ava was officially named the 2011 SickKids Champion Child presented by Walmart Canada. This program is a Children’s Miracle Network initiative to honour children who have overcome severe medical challenges. The Walmart Round Up takes place annually. This year’s Round Up raised more than $250,000 for SickKids Foundation.