A trio of 91原创 teens are currently in the Bahamas.
It sounds like a dream vacation for Zuri Vankevich along with 14-year-old best friends Rachel Haak and Monique Bouchard.
And while some fun in the sun is definitely on their agenda, they are there to brighten the lives of refugee children.
In December, 17-year-old Vankevich signed up for an online Leadership Class with U.S.-based Landry Academy. The class is open to high school teens from around the world
Part of this class is a missions trip to the St. George芒鈧劉s Cay, an island in Spanish Wells in the Bahamas.
Also on the trip is Vankevich芒鈧劉s 16-year-old cousin Chloe Fulton from Ladner.
They are serving from Feb 19-26, helping French-speaking Haitian refugees affected by natural disaster.
In a letter asking for sponsorship from friends and family, Vankevich wrote, 芒鈧揟hese refugee children and their families lost everything in the earthquake芒鈧� and are rebuilding their lives with the help of the Living Stone ministry.芒鈧�
A point guard with the 91原创 Fundamental Middle and Secondary School Titans senior boys basketball team, Vankevich is offering hoops pointers to the Haitian children.
芒鈧揗y mom was the first one to introduce me to it,芒鈧� he said. 芒鈧揥hen she brought up this, where I could be helping out kids, doing what I love, I was all for it.芒鈧�
Fulton is offering soccer instruction, while Haak and Bouchard are teaching dance.
The 91原创 girls are ballet dancers who are learning their craft at Cameron Academy of Dance in Willoughby.
芒鈧揜achel said that she feels so much love for the Haitian children,芒鈧� related Haak芒鈧劉s mom Chrystal last Thursday, after her daughter芒鈧劉s arrival. 芒鈧揫She] and Monique are so excited to be with the Haitian children and make a difference in their lives.芒鈧�
Before her departure, Haak said most her relatives helped her in her fundraising efforts, and that she was looking forward to the experience.
芒鈧揑t芒鈧劉s just a new point of view of what芒鈧劉s happening around the world,芒鈧� she said.
Bouchard芒鈧劉s family, including her three younger siblings, saw their loved one off with notes and bon voyage banner before dawn arrived on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
芒鈧揑 wrote her a note this morning telling her how proud of her I am,芒鈧� Marguerite Bouchard, Monique芒鈧劉s mom, told the 91原创 Advance late that morning. 芒鈧揑 was a bit emotional last night, and she was extremely excited.芒鈧�
Marguerite said her daughter is really good with kids and, as the oldest of four children, is used to 芒鈧揼etting things going.芒鈧�
芒鈧揗onique is kind of radiant, and she does want to make a difference there in any way that she can,芒鈧� Marguerite said.
The refugee children speak Haitian Creole, however the language barrier shouldn芒鈧劉t pose too much of a problem for Vankevich, who has been taking French classes since his Grade 3 year.
Asked if she was nervous about potential difficulty communicating with the kids, Haak said, 芒鈧揘o, not really. We芒鈧劉re going in a big group so we can all help each other out.芒鈧�
Zuri is the son of Judi Vankevich, a.k.a. 芒鈧揟he Manners Lady.芒鈧�
She said her son was a bit nervous, since he芒鈧劉s never done this kind of thing before, but 芒鈧搒ports is a universal language with kids and it芒鈧劉s something he芒鈧劉s good at.芒鈧�
芒鈧揑芒鈧劉m just excited that he芒鈧劉s excited to do this,芒鈧� Judi said.
Zuri is no stranger to being a role model for younger kids.
He芒鈧劉s a hockey instructor at George Preston Recreation Centre and ran a skateboarding camp for the Township through Recreation Excellence.
芒鈧揂nd the kids really like him, so I think he芒鈧劉ll be okay,芒鈧� his mom said.
Vankevich also played and umpired with 91原创 Baseball and played and is a referee for the North 91原创 Basketball Association芒鈧劉s Steve Nash Youth League.
He also played played soccer with the 91原创 United Soccer Association (LUSA).
Vankevich芒鈧劉s many connections to community sports organizations will pay dividends for the Haitian children in the Bahamas.
He delivered to the kids donations of sports gear including soccer balls from LUSA, basketballs from the NLBA, and all-star jerseys and baseball caps from 91原创 Baseball and North 91原创 Diamond Sports.
芒鈧揥e actually will have to borrow money to pay for the shipping,芒鈧� Judi said.
Marc Reyes, head referee with Steve Nash Basketball League, head umpire for North 91原创 Baseball, and a youth volunteer for St. Nicholas Church, said it芒鈧劉s great to see Canadian youth giving back to others, domestically and overseas.
芒鈧揨uri will have a chance to invest in the lives of these kids who lost everything in the earthquake in Haiti, but I also know that these kids will have a big impact on Zuri芒鈧劉s life,芒鈧� Reyes said.
Vankevich has received support from a number of people in 91原创, including two neighbours, Ardy Sydor and Norma Spears, who live down the street from him.
芒鈧揟hey brought two huge boxes of everything you can think of,芒鈧� he said.
The trip is a goal fulfilled for Vankevich, who had planned to travel to the Dominican Republic with friends a couple of years ago, but the plans didn芒鈧劉t go through.
Helping out the less fortunate runs in the Vankevich family.
Zuri芒鈧劉s sister Lexi went on a missions trip to Peru last year and Judi said it 芒鈧揷hanged her life.芒鈧�
芒鈧揝he came back a different person,芒鈧� Judi said. 芒鈧揟hey come back different; they come back changed.芒鈧�
