This past week the BGZ brands team got together to give some love to our kids at the Aboisso School in the Ivory Coast. With over 40 children attending our newly finished school, we took this opportunity to introduce ourselves to them through individual pen pals. Take a look at this video to see the fun we had writing letters to these amazing kids on the other side of the world.
This brave young lady was born of a family of 4 and lost her mother early on in life. From the beginning, it was very hard for her father to provide for the family due to the fact that her own a very little farm. Despite those financial difficulties, he insisted that she attended school, and she did with the help of numerous people. She graduated from high school and was admitted at the National University to study chemistry. After the first year, she stopped due to the lack of financial support. She then returned to the village to see if there was something she could help her family with. When she got there, the villagers had just decided to build the barrack on the picture, so that the growing number of children in the village could learn how to read and write. She was approached by the leadership of the village to help in exchange for a $80 monthly salary. She accepted and starting teaching the children. Soon after she began teaching, she realized that she loved what she was doing. and decided to stay. She talked about the difficult circumstances in which she has to work. She explained how little respect some of the villagers have for the work and efforts she is putting into teaching the children, but she is committed to their success. She told that when she sees these children going from knowing nothing to learning how to read and write, it keeps her going. She is a hero. She is an inspiration to all of us.
The school is finally finished! We couldn’t be more excited for the kids and village to have this beautiful place to learn and grow to be better contribute to their country. Awesome things coming from this amazing village and people.
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Today the employees of BGZ brands took the morning to paint the Hay Barn at Bridle Up Hope in Alpine, UT. Bridle Up Hope has developed a one-of-a-kind program that combines equestrian training, life skills development, and volunteer service.
Life has never been harder for young women as they face constant pressure to be impossibly perfect—to have the perfect body, be pretty, be popular, be smart, be athletic, and so forth. These pressures often lead to low self-worth, anxiety, depression, and loss of hope. Bridle Up Hope helps girls stand up to these pressures, and recognize and build on their inherent worth and potential.
We were happy to add a little beauty to this old shed!
Utah is home to many, many refugees seeking asylum from the devastating effects of war. Many of those people come with little to nothing and are expected to build a new life in a foreign country where they do not understand the culture or even speak the language. BGZ brands employees donated their time, talents and means to provide Christmas and friendship to 7 families that had recently been placed here. Giving and friendship have no barriers.
We were spreading Christmas cheer as we hustled and bustled to make over 150 Christmas stockings filled with everything from gloves, socks, toothbrushes, chapstick, hand warmers, hand sanitizer, candy canes, oranges and more. Employees from BGZ brands delivered these to those in need at the Salt Lake City Women’s shelter as well as throughout the city and local communities. Merry Christmas from BGZ brands!
This year we were honored to decorate and donate a tree in remembrance of Jaxon L., who at age 12, passed away as a result of injuries sustained in a tragic snowmobile accident. Jaxon loved the outdoors and so the tree was decorated in a way to showcase. The tree was designed and decorated by Alycia Garner, a BGZ brands employee. Family and friends of the deceased came and helped with securing the ornaments. The tree sold for $9500 and all proceeds went to Primary Children’s Hospital.
“There are those whose lives affect all others around them. Quietly touching one heart, which in turn, touches another; reaching out to ends further than they would ever know.” ~William Bradfield
Every year we get together with families to volunteer with the Utah Special Olympics program. This year we were assigned the award ceremony where we handed out medals to all those who placed in their events. There were smiles all around as the athletes jumped onto their podiums and fist pumped their way into Olympic history.
In partnership with the Ronald McDonald Adopt-A-Meal program, volunteers headed up to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City to prepare a warm meal for families whose children have life-threatening illness. This program invites friends, families, co-workers, school, community or church groups to cook meals for families staying at the Salt Lake City Ronald McDonald House. We encourage anyone and everyone to take some time to serve those who are going through life’s harsh challenges.
