“I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being. ”
~Oscar Wilde

Vancouver is a major city that is home to countless youth from all walks of life and with a full range of backgrounds and opportunities. In order to bring some of these varied youth communities together, Sidoo Family Giving started a program that unites student through a common interest – theatre arts. It’s part of a larger initiative within the foundation to collaborate with Saint Georges school, one of Canada’s premiere boarding and day schools for boys, and other schools in the Vancouver area to promote cross-pollination and interaction among communities. The foundation has been mentoring and financially assisting the Saint George’s program for the past several years.

Recently SFG collaborated with Saint Georges School located in Vancouver’s West-side and Templeton Secondary School located in Vancouver’s East-side to bring together students from far-reaching ends of the city in the context of arts and culture.

The Saint George’s School Saints Players presented The Miser–French playwright Moliere’s five-act satirical comedy–in a five night run in early November. David and Manjy Sidoo of Sidoo Family Giving worked with Jim Crescenzo, head of the Templeton Secondary School theatre and arts program, to bring students from the Templeton program to an evening performance of the play.

SFG sponsored tickets and transportation for sixty students many of whom were at-risk youth whose lives had been turned around by Templeton’s arts and theatre program. Oscar Wilde certainly had it right: in the context of theatre the diverse backgrounds of the students disappeared and they simply became human beings sharing together a common passion.

“The students had a great time and were very excited to attend and meet them all. It was another fantastic evening that opened a new experience for these wonderfully talented students from both Saints and Templeton,” said David Sidoo. “East side meets west side. It was really cool to see the young kids interact.”

Sidoo Family Giving – David and Manjy Sidoo
www.sidoofamilygiving.com
Sidoo Family Giving Facebook Page
Twitter.com/David_Sidoo

SFF Connecting Youth Through Theatre

On October 25^th, 2011 David and Manjy Sidoo joined thirteen UBC students for a celebratory breakfast on campus. The outstanding students were this year’s recipients of the annual Sidoo Family Giving scholarships in athletics and the arts.

The athletics endowment is the largest of its kind at UBC—eleven students received scholarships into the football program this year. In addition, one theatre and one film student each received an SFG art scholarship.

The program, which began seven years ago, provides students with funds ranging from $1000 to $2500 each, based on need. Many recipients of the scholarships would have been challenged to graduate from UBC if it were not for Sidoo Family Giving’s support.

For UBC alumni David and Manjy Sidoo, giving back to their university is an important objective for the SFF.  “To whom much is given much is expected,” said David, who during his university years was given an opportunity by UBC to pursue his football and academic careers with financial assistance.  “My wife and I feel that these scholarships are a wonderful investment our youth and, subsequently, the future of British Columbia.”

Congratulations to this year’s amazing recipients!

Sidoo Family Giving – David and Manjy Sidoo
www.sidoofamilygiving.com
Sidoo Family Giving Facebook Page
Twitter.com/davidsidoo

For UBC alumni David and Manjy Sidoo, giving back to their university is an important objective for the SFF.