You get back so much when you give

Danny Desriveaux Receiver

I’m involved in the CN Adopt an Alouette program because I want to help kids make good decisions. When I was growing up, I had parents, teachers and coaches who encouraged and helped me along the way, and I always told myself that when I became older I would do the same for other kids.

By sharing some of my knowledge and experience, I hope the students I meet will realize they are nearly always the deciding factor in what happens in their lives.

I talk about my early days playing football. They weren’t always easy. I’m not a big guy at 5’9” and 206 pounds. A lot of people, including some coaches, told me I was foolish to think I would ever get a football scholarship with a university or play professional football. I didn’t let them discourage me. I kept working hard at catching the ball and making touchdowns, and I ended up with a scholarship and playing in the CFL.

Visiting schools is very fulfilling for me. It really makes me happy when I bump into some of the students a year or two later downtown or see them at a game, and they say my story inspired them to set higher goals or make better choices.

It’s important for kids to know that everyone gets discouraged sometime, but it’s the people who don’t give up who become successful.

Hurray for helping!

Cheerleader Sidney

I am really busy as a full-time Concordia University student, an Alouettes cheerleader, and a dance performer and instructor, but I still do my best to find time to volunteer to help others.

For several years, I’ve helped out at Défi sportif. This annual event brings together athletes with physical or mental disabilities from around the world to compete in Montreal.

A friend of my mom, who has been a volunteer for years, told us about it. I decided to check it out and I was amazed at how inspiring it was. These are people who don’t have the ability to do certain things that most people take for granted, and yet they find otherways to achieve their goals.

Everyone occasionally faces a challenging situation. When I started learning Italian at university, I found it really hard to keep up with the other students who already had some background in the language. They all spoke so quickly! I became very discouraged for a little while. Then I remembered these special athletes and told myself, “No, you will not give up. It might take you longer and you might have to work harder, but you will be able to speak Italian fluently one day.”

Volunteering at Défi sportif has made me realize that I can find a way to do almost anything I really want, as long as I remain determined.