Sharing the Green. That's what 10 recipients of $1000 cheques from Green Financial Group will be doing. The annual pay it forward event held its launch event this afternoon, distributing 10, $1000 cheques to the applicants. (Pictured right) They'll take the money and use it for various causes, some of them locally, some as far away as Zambia. A local church group is building a youth centre in Zambia this year and Laurie Weiandt tells Heart FM the excitement will only build with this latest grant. "When we first announced it, everyone was very excited. And so the young people, 70 of them, came one day to help clear the land because they're so excited about it." One of the recipients using the money towards a local cause was Connie Masson with Youth Quest in Woodstock. She's using the money to fund a cooking program for at risk youth in the city. "They're so proud of themselves when they get to cook something and they get to share it with the other youth there, or take it home. They get a sense of accomplishment." Other funds will be used towards Gabriel's Goal, a Soup Kitchen in Tillsonburg, and overseas efforts including school supplies for kids in Costa Rica and drilling water wells in Kenya. Paul Green with Green Financial was inspired by an episode of Oprah to create his own pay it forward spin-off in Woodstock, and says it's been a great success. "Everybody that received the money, gets a chance to present (in September) and educate us about what it is they did with their $1000. It's always the hilight of this event." Winners include: Peter Barnes; Jan Vicars; Jordan Lavin; Erica Haas; Rob & Jennifer Weber; Don Fulkerson; Linda Hutchison; Tara Vicars; Rayburn Lansdell and Conny Masson

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