(Article via the Let’s Unlock Change organizing committee.)
When Chris Carroll applied to be treasurer of the Algonquin College Public Relations students’ “Let’s Unlock Change” campaign in support of The John Howard Society, he included the following detail on his resume: “My friends always make me be the banker in Monopoly.”
Carroll’s professors were impressed by his sense of humour—and his solid track record as a PR student. He got the job, and has been handling the campaign’s funds ever since.
Carroll has lived in Stittsville since he was six, attending Holy Spirit Elementary, followed by Sacred Heart High School. Before landing at Algonquin, where he is pursuing a post-graduate diploma in public relations, he studied communications at Carleton University.
An active community leader, Carroll studies martial arts at Pathways Jiu Jitsu and every Sunday and he can be found at Holy Spirit Parish church, where he serves as a lector. He has been a lector since he was 12 years old, and was the youngest serving lector at the time.
Carroll credits his involvement with Holy Parish with helping him to become more open-minded and compassionate.
These qualities have served Carroll well has he and his classmates prepare to host 13 different fundraising events for the John Howard Society, which offers a range of programs and services for people involved in the court system. The Let’s Unlock Change campaign has an ambitious fundraising goal of $23,500.
Let’s Unlock Change runs from March 25 to April 14. Carroll’s team is planning a trivia night on April 8 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at The Lieutenant’s Pump on Elgin St.
“I’m incredibly excited to be hosting this event,” Carroll says. “Trivia nights have always proven to be lots of fun, and when it’s for a good cause like the John Howard Society, everyone wins.”
Carroll’s classmates credit him for his strong leadership qualities and his smooth, confident speaking style, which can capture the attention of any audience. As Alex Scantlebury, one of his classmates, puts it: “Chris would be able to sell sand while standing on the beach, and still turn a profit.”
If you can’t make it out to the trivia night, there are many other campaign events to choose from. There is also an option to donate online if you want to help Carroll and his program reach their fundraising goal. Visit their website at www.letsunlockchange.com or join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #LetsUnlockChange.