Smiles Squad
Smiles Squad is a subcommittee team consisting of 15 students working to spread smiles to youth across the Greater Hamilton Area! The team helps plan, promote and execute various SOS-wide fundraising events. In addition to general events, Smiles Squad is also in charge of running its own community engagement initiatives in the greater Hamilton area. For the past two years, Smiles Squad has written and illustrated storybooks to distribute to children across Hamilton, with hopes to maintain community interaction. Now that restrictions are becoming more lenient, the team hopes to bring back familiar events including the annual Pumpkin Hike, as well as continue engagement through our storybook initiative!
1
Storybook Initiative
Building off of our work during the pandemic, Smiles Squad members will write and illustrate a children’s storybook throughout the year. We will distribute printed copies to schools and hospitals in the Hamilton Area, aiming to foster community and share empowering messages.
If restrictions permit, Smiles Squad hopes to introduce an in-person component to this initiative through hosting storybook-writing workshops! Members will host workshops for a local class to teach story-writing concepts and help students craft their own storybook, with lots of fun and bonding along the way. During the final workshop in April, the class will receive finalized, printed copies of their storybook, along with an opportunity to bond and reflect with their classmates!
2
Pumpkin Hike
Pumpkin Hike is a Halloween-themed event held in late October. After a fun hike along Cootes Paradise held by the McMaster Maroons, Smiles Squad will set up games and crafts for the children and families of Cootes Paradise Elementary School. This annual event attracts hundreds of local students and their families! Although this event was temporarily put on hold for the last two years, the team is hopeful that Pumpkin Hike will be able to open its door again to family and friends this school year!