Skip to main content
giving back

Jasmine de Pencier and Jett Jardeleza-Toole’s Kids’ Run for Nature takes place in Toronto, Calgary and Ottawa.Getty Images/iStockphoto

The donors: Jasmine de Pencier and Jett Jardeleza-Toole

The gift: Starting the Kids' Run for Nature

The reason: To raise money for World Wildlife Fund Canada

Jasmine de Pencier and Jett Jardeleza-Toole have been close friends for years and they both share a love of sports and animals. A couple of years ago, the two 12-year-olds decided to bring their two passions together and they came up with a fundraising event called Kids' Run for Nature. Jasmine's family had been long-time supporters of World Wildlife Fund Canada and the girls wanted to earmark donations from the run to the organization's conservation efforts. To drum up support, Jasmine and Jett reached out to friends and family members and made presentations to several schools in their Toronto neighbourhood.

The first run attracted 200 runners and the event has grown ever since, raising nearly $60,000 in total. There are now eight annual Kids' Run for Nature in Toronto, Calgary and Ottawa.

"It's incredible," Jasmine said. "We started this when we were 10 and it's become this huge thing."

The girls hope the event gets even bigger. "We have it in eight different locations this year and we would love to see it expand all across Canada. It would be amazing."

Thinking about contributing to your child’s first mortgage? Jamie Golombek of CIBC Wealth Advisory outlines the tax benefits of giving money to your heirs while you are still alive.

The Canadian Press

Follow related authors and topics

Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following.

Interact with The Globe