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Boys and Girls Club beneficiary of charity website

When Dylan Oosterveld, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of Cochrane and Area, learned that his charity was the first Cochrane-based organization to be included by a new social networking-slash-fundraising site, Givyup.
Tim Bowron, a youth engagement coordinator with the Boys and Girls Club of Cochrane and Area.
Tim Bowron, a youth engagement coordinator with the Boys and Girls Club of Cochrane and Area.

When Dylan Oosterveld, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of Cochrane and Area, learned that his charity was the first Cochrane-based organization to be included by a new social networking-slash-fundraising site, Givyup.org, he was thrilled.

“For us, it’s (an opportunity) to harness the power of social media,” said Oosterveld.

Still in its pre-launch stage, Givyup.org is a pilot project aiming to become a platform for small and medium-sized charities to gain exposure and reap the rewards from people who are tired of being bogged-down by consumerism.

The short story is that people who feel they have enough material goods can sign up to donate their anniversaries, birthdays or even Christmases; in lieu of getting gifts for these annual celebrations, friends and family of the person donating their special day to the cause can go online and donate a fiscal dollar amount; those who sign up would in turn, use their personal social networking tools (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, for example) to spread the word to their friends and families.

All the funds would go toward the charity selected by the individual through Givyup.org.

“The potential is quite enormous,” said Alex Bruton, co-founder of the site and associate professor of innovation and entrepreneurship at Mount Royal University.

“The whole intent is to help small and medium-sized charities who are ‘competing’ against big charities and who need the help in terms of storytelling,” explained Bruton, adding that one of the most appealing elements of the cause is that it’s based on diverting from the retail sector, rather than from within the charitable sector.

Brother-in-arms (also brother-in-law) Jeff Couillard, is co-founder of Givyup.

Couillard received Pathfinder of the Year 2012 from the Cochrane Community Awards and is involved with a number of Cochrane community organizations and projects including Sustainability Partners Uniting Resources (SPUR).

Bruton said Couillard thought up the concept of Givyup a year ago when he heard a clip on the radio about pop icon Justin Bieber donating his own birthday to charity.

From there, the two got busy working on the pilot for Givyup; the website will be officially launched on Dec. 1, championing for two charities: Calgary Reads, an early-learning initiative that is focused on impacting Grade 1 and 2 children who struggle with literacy and the Boys and Girls Club of Cochrane and Area.

The mandate of the local non-profit is to “provide a safe, supportive place where children and youth can experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships and develop confidence and skills for life,” as listed on their website.

Bruton said if the pilot project, which is encouraging people to donate their Christmas 2012 to either charity of their choice, meets with success that Givyup will continue to take other non-profits under its wing, where people can donate various celebrations throughout the year to any Givyup cause of their choosing.

He explained that the selection criteria for suitable charities and non-profits is loosely based on the following: its community impact, its ability to engage with the community, its measure of transparency and the size (small-to-medium).

Givyup will be working with a number of creative professionals in and around the Calgary area.

“We would love to see at least 250 people giving 20 bucks each for the Christmas project,” said Oosterveld.

Learn more at givyup.org.

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