Imagine a board game like Monopoly where the objective is not to buy Park Avenue, but to acquire items that help you with your disability, and where trivia questions and unique sensory challenges keep you on your toes.
The Holland Bloorview board game is the brain child of Julia Friedman, an 11-year-old student at Leo Baeck Day School. When the team at Project Give Back, a program designed to ignite community minded citizens, asked each student in the grade 5 class to select and present a charity, Julia chose Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.
Alison, Julia and Shaynah about to play
It was an easy choice. Her aunt, Darlene Hubley works at Holland Bloorview. Julia’s understanding of the Hospital took a creative turn when she developed a board game that is a fun and interactive learning tool for her fellow students.
A lot of thought and research went into the project, from the time Julia first learned of her assignment in the fall to her presentation that following spring. This budding artist or perhaps designer not only created the colourful Holland Bloorview board game, she developed a Power Point presentation complete with special effects.
Needless to say, her teacher and classmates were very impressed. The real test, however, came when Alison Gittins from Holland Bloorview Foundation invited her to play the game with some of the Hospital’s inpatients.
After touring the facility, including the spiral garden, Julia sat down with Shaynah and Erika, current inpatients at Holland Bloorview, and Alison Gittins to play the game. The verdict? All three took to it immediately.
Julia, center, presents her cheque along with Shaynah and Erika.
The visit also gave Julia an opportunity to present a cheque for $60 that she raised for Holland Bloorview Foundation. Julia matched the $30 raised by her fellow students with $30 from her allowance.
Project Give Back’s team warned Julia that not all charitable organizations respond to students’ letters notifying them about their projects and gifts. Alison’s invitation to visit Holland Bloorview was a real boost for Julia.
“I was really happy when Holland Bloorview saved my letter and invited me,” says Julia. Her unique contribution to Holland Bloorview is a reminder that when it comes to making a difference, the possibilities are infinite.
