Today we’d like to introduce you to Preslee Marshall
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I had the opportunity to help others while in elementary school. I remember my class gathering school supplies, such as erasers, pencils, rulers, etc., and packing them into ziplock bags, which were then sent to kids who needed them.
I also spent a reasonable amount of time volunteering for different organizations and helping to raise money for various charities.
When I had items I no longer needed, I would donate them to different places so that they could reach the people who needed them.
These smaller experiences became a bit bigger as I got older. Before the pandemic, a few friends and I gathered approximately $900, which we used to put together around 40 bags full of emergency blankets, gloves, toques, socks, bandaids, water bottles, etc., which we then handed out around the community just before Christmas when the temperatures were very low.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Coming up with ideas for helping others is the easy part. The hardest part is the financial aspect and finding the resources needed to make them successful.
I could develop new ideas daily, but if I don’t have the funds and resources to make them a reality, they stay an idea.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
* In July 2023, I hosted my community’s first Free Library Event (in Winnipeg). For this event, I collected approximately 2500 children’s books, which were to be handed out to children in the community. This event lasted a few hours in a community center, where thousands of books were scattered across numerous tables. Children came in and could pick out their favourite books to take home and keep. The best part of this event was that it was 100% free for all to attend, and taking the books home to keep forever was also free. I also had activities available, which kept the kids occupied.
* In April of 2024, Elizabeth Fingerman and I co-hosted an event titled #BeeNeedYou, during which we handed out hundreds of packs of Black Eyed Susan seeds to help raise awareness of our declining bee populations in Canada and their importance worldwide.
* Due to the success of my previous Free Library Event, I will be hosting another one in either July or August 2024. While the exact date is still to be determined, you can expect this library event to be bigger and better than the last, with many new books and activities for children.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Baking cakes and various desserts for friends, family and classmates.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/preslee_marshall/
