Play Around the World 2016
Welcome to Margaret Casault's Personal Fundraising Page!
Hello! Thank you for visiting my fundraising page for Play Around the World!
Play has always been a huge part of who I am, with countless opportunities to engage in activity throughout my life. I am thrilled to be a part of Play Around the World, an organization providing opportunities to play for children who may not have them. We are fundraising throughout this semester in order to facilitate this experience for my teammates and myself, bringing our skills to Asia, Peru and Northern Canada. I cannot wait to step out of my comfort zone in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and instill my enthusiasm and love for play into these children.
“Play keeps us vital and alive. It gives us an enthusiasm for life that is irreplaceable.” -Lucia Capocchione
"Within the context that I worked, I can now say first hand, that play is universal. Language barriers and cultural differences, although important, do not get in the way of facilitating play. I have learned that play is a combination of people, ideas and desires, and it has changed my perspective on how it can be delivered, especially in a different cultural context." Anna Knight (Team Rayong 2015)
People of all ages and across all cultures experience play. It is an important activity that children do, to learn about themselves, others and the world around them. Play is recognized as a human right and is essential for a child's optimal growth and development. Pure play awakens the joyful, creative spirit in us all.
Play Around the World (PAW) is a service learning course offered by the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation. Students from a variety of disciplines volunteer approximately 32 hours per week for 12 weeks where they gain valuable life skills, and broaden their worldview, living and working in a culture different from their own. Students will be facilitating play, recreation and sport in a variety of contexts and focus on the protection, promotion and provision of the Child's Right to Play (Article 31 UNCRC). Funds raised will enable students to participate and will directly benefit the agencies PAW serves. Thank you for visiting this campaign site and for your interest in Play Around the World.
"Before Cambodia I had often wondered how an average person could change the world. I don’t think that is possible. But a person can impact another human being, or a community, and to positively affect one, is enough." Anthony Bourque (Team Cambodia 2014)
Check out our Photo Gallery
We as the 2016 Play Around the
World team have had the privilege of coming together week after week to learn
more about the profound effects of play, and to be dramatically shaped and
reshaped by its transformative powers. Some of the greatest lessons that I have
learned regarding play stem from the understanding that even though we can find
people engaging in play all over the world, play as it stands cannot be
universally defined. Consequently, play takes on many forms, shapes, and styles
depending on who the player is. I have also come to a greater understanding of
how truly essential play is to human development, which is a powerful reason
for why it should be made readily available for all humans to experience. During
this past month our team had the privilege of learning with Dr. Nancy Spencer
Cavaliere through discussions on how we can use our knowledge of play to
challenge our assumptions about disability and adapting, and what we learned
was this:
1. As play leaders it is our job to
promote inclusion amongst all whom we are lucky enough to work with, regardless
of ability. Meaning that we must create play spaces that not only provided
people with the opportunity to play, but that we must create environments that
allow people to be themselves so that they can engage in play in a way that
makes the most sense for them without judgment.
2. This means that we as leaders
must suspend our assumptions about what we believe specific games or activities
should look like. When we set aside our personal expectations about what we
believe play should be, we leave
room to creatively explore what it could
be, based on individual needs and desires.
As we begin our play journey with
the children in our destination cities we will have the privilege of working
with a wide variety of populations. This experience will challenge our ability
to be innovators and creators, but most of all it will challenge our ability to
be adaptive and flexible. We are lucky because we will be surrounded by hundreds
of play experts who will guide us through our play journeys. These play experts
are, of course, the children we will be working with. Each of them will undoubtedly
guide us with both verbal and non-verbal cues that will show us what they need
from us to play their best play.
Play, like people, is universal but players, like the games they play, come in many extraordinary forms. Our PAW team is very much looking forward to implementing our adaptive teachings and creativity in a multitude of different ways as we set out to support every player and their right to play.
Thank you so much to all of our supporters that helped us reach our USEED goal of $20,000 in 30 days! Aukoun, Krup Khun Ka, Masi Cho, Gracias, Thank you. (Khmer, Thai, Dene, Spanish, English). Each and every donation is appreciated toward supporting this learning journey for the student team, and thanks extend beyond our borders from the many organizations we serve, at home and abroad.
This week we took part in a participatory workshop to help us understand how colonization of the land in Canada has impacted the people who live here long before settlers arrived. We explored the nation-to-nation relationship between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples in Canada. The session began with an Elder leading us through a smudging ceremony and teaching. The blankets represented the land indigenous peoples occupied years ago and throughout the exercise the land either shrunk or disappeared at historical points in the 'story'. It was a powerful and interactive way to learn and whether wherever the teams are heading on their cultural journey (NWT, Peru, Cambodia, Thailand) the teaching served as a valuable step towards building our intercultural competence.
Smudge Ceremony
Blanket Exercise
The PAW team is preparing to run a Playday in Edmonton at Churchill Square for Family Day on February 15th! Imagine an event with a series of unique and playful activity offerings exploring a range of themes: magic, science, games, box building, art and sensory play. The team is learning about play leadership and how to facilitate the experience for children and families with maximum play value and attention to a rich play environment. We hope to turn ordinary spaces into extraordinary places! All teams (NWT, Peru, Cambodia and Thailand) will be running Playdays in their placement locations, and what better way than to practice at home (Canada). Many of our PAW Alumni will be assisting and feel so passionate about Play for All that they continue to be part of the local play initiatives as a result of their global experience as a PAW student.
Team 2016 hopes you'll join in the fun on Feb.15th and enliven your playful spirit!
We are truly grateful for the responses and support so far in our campaign and want to share a short update about what our team has been doing.
The learning journey has begun for 14 U of A students and their 4 leaders with team building, play samplers, discussion about our own perceptions and the concept of 'curiosity before judgement'. As we prepare to facilitate play and recreation in various cultures, different than our own, the process of journalling as a self-reflective tool is helpful in examining our own assumptions.
There is much to learn and prepare in the next 4 months before the team divides, departs (Peru, Cambodia, Thailand, NWT Canada) and engages with our community partners around the world. Thank you for supporting this global initiative!
Heather Crowe
Mary Ann Rintoul
Anthony Bourque
Jillian Nanavaty
Joel Johnston
Jane Erdmann
Chloe Skerlak
Anisha Monga
Jesse Bierman
Tracy Simon
Svetlana Olimpiev
Jamie Cassie
Alexandra Kirincic
Anna Woodman
Kurtis Dinsmore
Sydney Vandergaag
Kieran Steele
Danika Gaudreault
Margaret Casault
Jesus Grisanti
Nicolette Desmarais
kershaw Nanavaty
Gave $1,500.00
Tyler Whitford
Gave $100.00
Don Gray
Gave $500.00
Tom Yonge
Gave $100.00
Reena Bajaj
Gave $100.00
Marc Ewanishan
Gave $65.00
Judith Nyrose
Gave $50.00
Angela Coppola
Gave $50.00
Colleen Do
Gave $10.00
Betty Lou Weir
Gave $100.00
Coulter McManes
Gave $200.00
Connie Kaweesi
Gave $25.00
Nigel Richardson
Gave $65.00
Alissa Lim
Gave $15.00
Miranda Lisowski
Gave $25.00
Remy Martin
Gave $25.00
Thomas Webster
Gave $100.00
Caroline Danyleyko
Gave $50.00
Nicholas Richard
Gave $15.00
Zena Worrier
Gave $100.00
Colette Rodrigue
Gave $50.00
Kerri Scott
Gave $100.00
Lena & Steve Kirincic
Gave $100.00
Lorna Johnston
Gave $250.00
Fergal Peters
Gave $125.00
Joan Brophy
Gave $100.00
Fatema Jivanjee
Gave $25.00
Branden Johnston
Gave $25.00
Megan Abramyk
Gave $15.00
Benjamin Contenti
Gave $250.00
Jane Erdmann
Gave $50.00
Miranda Nessman
Gave $100.00
Russ Sluchinski
Gave $50.00
Elizabeth Smyth-Fegan
Gave $25.00
Joanna Auger
Gave $25.00
John Dunn Consulting Inc
Gave $100.00
Cassidy Margolis
Gave $25.00
Alexandra Yaworski
Gave $25.00
darrin hopkins
Gave $50.00
Kerry Mummery
Gave $250.00
Susan Beard
Gave $25.00
Reid Woodman
Gave $40.00
Scott Grant
Gave $50.00
Dawna Robinson
Gave $100.00
Gail Smith
Gave $50.00
Mackenzie Vandergaag
Gave $50.00
Knight Family
Gave $250.00
Patricia Hiley
Gave $25.00
cathy bowles
Gave $100.00
Bob and Jan McBean
Gave $100.00
Safia Samji
Gave $20.00
Fred Bowen
Gave $50.00
Colleen Desmarais
Gave $500.00
Julie Legault-Bryant
Gave $50.00
douglas machon
Gave $100.00
Darren Belik
Gave $100.00
Darren Snider
Gave $200.00
Ashlee Doyle
Gave $100.00
Probe Corrosion Services Ltd.
Gave $50.00
Vector Geomatics
Gave $100.00
Paige Toews
Gave $50.00
Robert Ellis
Gave $100.00
Carson Newby
Gave $25.00
Tanya Clary
Gave $400.00
Sylvia Bayley
Gave $25.00
Orla Ryan
Gave $200.00
Fabien Desmarais
Gave $50.00
Deb Olmstead
Gave $65.00
Monique Morin
Gave $75.00
Rachel Day
Gave $50.00
Jen Smulders
Gave $25.00
Deanna Cassie
Gave $100.00
Goota Desmarais
Gave $100.00
Nancy Mancini
Gave $20.00
Megan Whiteside
Gave $100.00
Corinne Creighton
Gave $50.00
Quentin Lau
Gave $10.00
Logan Gray
Gave $15.00
Emily Devlin
Gave $25.00
feifei tian
Gave $15.00
UofA Collegiate 4-H Club
Gave $100.00
Neha Jaswal
Gave $15.00
shelagh Lee
Gave $50.00
Rolf Stenman
Gave $100.00
Lynne Guest
Gave $100.00
Kassidy Danyleyko
Gave $20.00
Amber & Leon Tam
Gave $100.00
Patricia Leake
Gave $65.00
Gus Yeoman
Gave $100.00
Sheila Graham
Gave $50.00
Ryan Lelievre
Gave $150.00
Lin yu Clavier
Gave $25.00
Ian Glackin
Gave $100.00
Carlos Hernandez
Gave $100.00
Melissa Ross
Gave $20.00
Ryan Woodman
Gave $150.00
Jergus Baca
Gave $10.00
Kathy Sweenie
Gave $100.00
Doug Ross
Gave $100.00
Jeff Bowling
Gave $100.00
Rene Daoust
Gave $50.00
Dylan Morrison
Gave $15.00
Karin Klassen
Gave $100.00
Jane Vallentyne
Gave $150.00
Lisa Anderson
Gave $80.00
Debbie Spence
Gave $100.00
Daniel Breen
Gave $25.00
Blake Noecker
Gave $300.00
Erin Holman
Gave $35.00
ivan simon
Gave $100.00
Pamela Beatty
Gave $65.00
Kendra Clary
Gave $30.00
Colby Frattinger
Gave $400.00
melanie foster
Gave $25.00
Denis Daoust
Gave $100.00
Teresa Daoust
Gave $100.00
Rae Paprotta
Gave $150.00
Shirley Danyleyko
Gave $25.00
Antonia Gaudreault
Gave $100.00
Suzon Anne Tremblay
Gave $50.00
Bryan Spence
Gave $50.00
Suellen Beatty
Gave $200.00
Deborah Boileau
Gave $100.00
Kerry Egan
Gave $25.00
Danielle Layman
Gave $100.00
Jeff Bruha
Gave $50.00
james vandergaag
Gave $100.00
Patricia Bates
Gave $100.00
Ashley Villavicencio
Gave $50.00
Paula Woodman
Gave $50.00
Dean Cassie
Gave $100.00
Karla Woodman
Gave $50.00
Janice and Ray Dowbenko
Gave $100.00
Jacquie O'Brien
Gave $100.00
LUIS GRISANTI
Gave $1,000.00
Anthony Valverde
Gave $50.00
Valerie Lind
Gave $50.00
Brittney Vander Linden
Gave $100.00
Eric Upton
Gave $50.00
Nicholas Cheung
Gave $25.00
David Madsen
Gave $250.00
Dorran Smith
Gave $100.00
Phil Gaudreault
Gave $250.00
Warren Woodcox
Gave $25.00
William Spence
Gave $500.00
OLGA CLAVIER
Gave $100.00
Julie MacKenzie
Gave $15.00
Ethan Gaines
Gave $10.00
Petra Hermens
Gave $100.00
Frankie Daoust
Gave $100.00
Dallas Ansell
Gave $50.00
Gabriella vonGaza
Gave $50.00
Diane Daoust
Gave $50.00
Charles Lucy
Gave $75.00
Vicki Clary
Gave $100.00
Heather Crowe
Gave $25.00
Christiane Daoust
Gave $25.00
Valilnda Boyd
Gave $500.00
Katie Siri
Gave $10.00
Josh Clark
Gave $25.00
Rajan Poonam Bajaj
Gave $50.00
Joseph Chamrinho
Gave $50.00
Sam Singh
Gave $10.00
Paul Racz
Gave $10.00
52 supporters have chosen not to be listed for "Play Around the World 2016".
Make an Impact
Play equipment
Give $5
Skipping Ropes, Chalk, Pool Noodles, and Balls of all types! All equipment will be left with our PAW partners in Asia, Peru and Northern Canada.
Transportation
Give $15
A tuk tuk, song teow or bus ride to agency site.
Play Day Station
Give $25
Help us buy all the materials needed to successfully run one station at a playday! Station examples include: Boxes, Blocks and Building, Science Zone, Water Play and Active Games
Language lessons
Give $50
One team language lesson during the in-country placement.
Play space project
Give $65
A gift of this amount can help turn a space into a play place for children (field, tarmac, playground, sensory play room, indoor multipurpose space...).
Translation services or a field trip for kids
Give $100
Translated resources to leave with partner agencies overseas or a field trip/outing for the children.
Parachute
Give $250
Help provide a brightly coloured, lightweight nylon Parachute! When children work cooperatively to make the parachute billow, they also refine perceptual motor skills and develop a sense of rhythm.
Flight
Give $500
Contribute to the cost of sending one student to their destination
