May

10

Congratulations to the Edmonton Rush on an outstanding lacrosse season. Kids Up Front was thrilled to have partnered with Edmonton’s professional lacrosse team this year to provide Rush game tickets to local youth. But the community partnership didn’t end there: Booster Juice has been an great supporter of the Edmonton Rush by hosting school clinics throughout the lacrosse season. When we started working with Cheryl Schneider, a Healthy Living Coach for 7 inner city schools, we wanted to give those kids the same opportunity. With the generous support of Greg Christenson and Christenson Developments, students from those inner city schools were able to attend a lacrosse game and learn more about the sport at clinics in their schools facilitated by Edmonton Rush players. For most of the kids in the inner city schools, this was the first time they were able to have an opportunity like this, and watching them experience it was uplifting. Our favourite story was of John, a little boy who moved here from the Philippines only two weeks before the lacrosse clinic was held at their school. With an odd number of students in the class, friends paired off quickly and John was left on his own, not even really understanding what was going on with his limited English skills. But he was beaming instantly when Jesse, the Edmonton Rush player facilitating the clinic, paired up with him and proceeded to give him one-on-one tips and coaching him for the rest of their session.

John had a great time at the Edmonton Rush lacrosse clinic

To Bruce Urban, owner of the Edmonton Rush, and Gord Sawyer, President of the team, and especially to players Ryan Dilks (#24) and Jesse Fehr (#18), thank you for your community involvement and for helping us create something truly special for local youth. You’ve definitely garnered some lifelong fans in the process. Can’t wait to do it all over again next year!

Apr

26

Please join us for our annual Denim & Dice fundraiser this September… for tickets, click here.

Apr

13

Professional basketball season is almost upon us! We’ve got season tickets to give away to our partner agencies… let us know if your kids are interested in watching some great games. Home game opener is May 4: mark your calendars!

Teams and groups, take note: Edmonton Energy offers fundraising opportunities for you… buy selling tickets to their games, your organization will get to keep a share of the proceeds. They also offer group discounts for teams. Contact Edmonton Energy for more details on these exciting opportunities.

Mar

19

Some of you may recall that a few months back, CityTV invited us to bring a few kids down to Breakfast Television and to share what Kids Up Front was all about. Well, one of the kids left such an impression with her dream ticket request (a Hedley concert) that the great folks over at CityTV made sure that when that concert was coming through town, she would be seeing them. Not only that, but thanks to Universal Music, she gets to meet the band as well; needless to say, when we surprised her at school with the tickets today, she was left speechless. Many, many thanks to everyone involved in making this dream come true.

Jennifer Parenteau (The Way In); Dotti, our lucky ticket recipient; Christine Cunningham (Kids Up Front)

Jan

20

Best of luck to one of our favourite teams, The Edmonton Rush, as they kick off their season at home tonight. Between The Rush, Northlands and The Brick, we have over 250 season tickets to be able to send a lot of Edmonton and area youth and families to cheer on our favourite lacrosse players.

Jan

17

It’s not uncommon for people to associate ticket donation for kids mostly with sporting events, perhaps with a smattering of concert tickets thrown in for good measure. The truth of the matter is that there are so many events that kids love to take in that aren’t just limited to sports and concerts. Kids Up Front has been so fortunate to have the generous support of CIBC for our CIBC Theatre For All program. Through this program, we are able to offer local children tickets to a number of live arts productions. What’s sure to be a stand-out favourite for many of our kids this season the Seussical The Musical, presented by The Citadel Theatre, one of our founding partners in the CIBC Theatre For All program.

Not only did The Citadel provide 300 tickets over 7 performances during this show’s run, they also arranged for a special artist talk-back event after each performance with the groups that we sent. Being able to see a show that was produced specifically for children along with a sit-down with the performer afterwards certainly will be something that those kids will remember fondly for some time to come.

Jan

03

Wishing all our supporters a wonderful 2012! Special thanks to one of our biggest supporters, Northlands, for arranging a suite for some of our kids to experience the excitement at the World Juniors last week!

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Dec

08

We are positively giddy with excitement this morning after learning that we will be receiving 100 tickets to the World Juniors games in Edmonton. The Government of Alberta, through Honourable Heather Klimchuk, Minister of Culture and Community Services, has very generously donated ten tickets to each of the games being held in Edmonton. Thank you really doesn’t cover the extent of our gratitude for this incredibly benevolent gift which will open up what is likely to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many of our kids.

It is truly an honor to work with Minister Klimchuk and culture and community services to give disadvantaged youth the opportunity to experience Edmonton’s dynamic arts, culture, sports and entertainment scene; thank you for your belief in Kids Up Front Foundation.

On the same topic, we welcome any ticket donations to the World Juniors. Don’t forget, the timing of the Edmonton games is perfect for you to donate and still receive your tax receipt (for face value of ticket price) for the 2011 year. No need to leave a seat empty if you can’t use it – donate your tickets to us and get a tax receipt for yourself… everybody wins! Due to the timing of the World Juniors games around the holiday season, we are encouraging people to donate their tickets electronically if at all possible, in order for us to get them out to our agency partners in the most timely and efficient manner. Thanks for thinking of us!

Nov

01

Giving chances for local kids to experience Edmonton’s dynamic arts, sports and entertainment scene is what Kids Up Front Foundation does best! Since 2003, we’ve granted 250,000 event experiences using donated event tickets—tickets that couldn’t be used! Crazy to think, but all those little tickets have enabled our Foundation to creatively put five million dollars back into our community in a way that makes life better for kids.

This Saturday night, November 5, we are inviting people to Take a Chance for Kids. Our signature Denim & Dice casino night raises important funds and awareness for Kids Up Front Foundation’s TixforKids program that uses donated event tickets to give kids vital social experiences that they wouldn’t get otherwise.

Its a super evening…no gala attire required and no sitting for long periods…unless you’re on a winning streak with a particular dealer!

You can click here to buy your ticket to Mix, Mingle & Play…

• True North Holdings Denim & Dice Casino
• Hudsons Cheer Bars serving Hudsons Signature Lagers & Artisan Wines
• A Taste of Culina Catering
• Live music by The Wheat Pool
• MC, Kevin Karius, Global Edmonton

then, Play a Winning Hand for Kids by participating in the evening’s promotions…

GIVE THE CHANCE Participate in a live donation experience to give kids the chance to experience arts, sports and entertainment events

GET THE CHANCE Bid to win one (or both) of the following…

• PACKAGE 1 Romantic Winter Getaway to New York City Experience the excitement of New York City with this 3-night winter getaway. Enjoy luxurious comfort at Luxus Vacation Properties’ two-bedroom private vacation condo in Times Square! Package also includes welcome amenity, departure day cleaning, full access to the Luxus Concierge to plan every detail of your trip and WestJet Gift of Flight (2 tickets anywhere WestJet flies). January 19-22, 2012 are currently reserved for you. Option to exchange dates is solely based on availability (Nov 2011 to Apr 2012 only, excluding holidays).
• PACKAGE 2 Wine & Dine with Friends Enjoy an intimate dinner with wine pairings prepared by local chef and restaurateur, Brad Lazarenko, Culina. Dinner is for up to eight people in the comforts of home or at Culina Millcreek.

SIP A TINI Donate $10 and receive a custom Hudsons ice-tini

SWEET DREAMS GRAND PRIZE by The Brick includes an Obusforme Summer Pillow Top Queen Mattress and Boxspring Set (your choice of Firm or Plush) PLUS your choice of a 51″ Samsung Plasma or 3D Plasma

All donations supporting any Denim & Dice promotion qualify for grand prize entry

Can’t make it? You can still help by donating the event tickets you can’t use and/or Make a Deposit for Kids to help us in our effort to provide arts, sports and entertainment experiences for kids! Choose an experience and donate online.

• $3750 sends 250 kids to the Oilers with a Kids Kombo concession voucher
• $2,500 rewards 5 at-promise students with a Kids on the Road educational adventure
• $1,500 sends 300 kids to an Eskimos, Capitals, Rush, Oil Kings or MonsterPro Wrestling sporting event
• $1,000 sends 200 kids to a live arts performance at the Citadel Theatre, Winspear Centre, Jubilee Auditorium or ArtsBarns
• $625 sends 125 kids to a concert or show at Northlands Park
• $450 gives a kid 10 weeks of riding lessons at WELCA
• $500 sends 100 kids to the movies
• $300 sends 60 kids to WEM Galaxyland or Waterpark
• $200 sends 40 kids to TELUS World of Science, the Royal Alberta Museum, Alberta Art Gallery or Valley Zoo

Thank You for reading. See you November 5th at the Arts Barns…with jeans on!

Jun

15

weather wise, spring into action caught a wee bit of a break this year…last year we had snow! hopefully the rain will stop for a brief time so we can enjoy the terrace at the royal mayfair golf club while sipping the tasty selections by Gurvinder Bhatia and eating the yummy offerings by Chef Brian Lacasse. thanks to eventIQ,  best buds flower shop , speakvolumes promotional co., hyphen-multimedia, dreamscape designs and dlux films. thanks also to volvo of edmonton for kicking off the FUNdraiser. Every dollar raised gives local kids a ticket IN to edmonton’s dynamic arts, sports and entertainment scene.