Morgan Miller enjoyed being a Little Sister so much, they had to kick her out of the program when she became a legal adult.
Now, she’s putting on an outdoor bash in support of Big Sisters BC Lower Mainland at Beva Brewing & Blending in North Vancouver, where Miller is co-owner and taproom manager.
Starting at noon on Saturday, Aug. 24, the Beva Back to School Block Party will take over the lane adjacent to the Norgate brewery, with grilled German sausages, local vendors, face painting, raffles and – of course – beer.
The event is free to enter, with $1 from every bratwurst sold going to Big Sisters. Beva will also be accepting direct donations to the charity on the day of the bash.
Prizes include a barbecue, $150 gift cards from Steed Cycles, Arcteryx backpacks, cooler bags with beer and a big goody basket.
With a permit to block off the lane, and enough capacity to add a beer garden next to the brewery, Miller said she’s hoping to bring in around 300 people and raise $1,000.
At around 3 p.m., Big Sisters CEO Chantelle Krish will raffle off a prize and give a talk to the crowd.
Miller's Big Sister was CBC Radio producer Liz Hoath
Miller, who has thrown charity events before, said she wanted to do something close to her heart at the new brewery.
Growing up, the Big Sister program had a “huge” impact on Miller’s life.
“I was an underprivileged kid, and so being able go out and do things, like go to hockey games, wasn’t accessible to me,” she said, explaining that she was fortunate to catch many Canucks games live from the charity’s box seats.
“My mom was always working overtime at the hospital, so it was nice to have someone hang out with who isn’t your parent,” Miller said. “They’re not being paid to hang out with you. They just do it because they want to.”
Miller’s mentor in the Big Sister program was CBC Radio producer Liz Hoath.
She remembers Hoath driving her to get the latest Harry Potter book release at midnight, then reading the first several chapters in the car until 2 or 3 a.m. One time, Hoath had Miller on her radio show for a segment about kids drinking coffee in school.
“I got in trouble with the principal,” she said. “I actually got coffee banned at our school.”
But after spending more than a decade in the program, the Big Sisters organizers had to deliver some bad news to Miller.
“They had to kick me out of the program because I was too old,” she said. “They had a sit-down meeting with us, and they were like, ‘You guys are just adult friends.’”
After a convoluted approval process involving local police, firefighters, the health department and the district’s engineering department, Miller is hoping a flock of folks will come out to her block party in support of a charity that’s brightened the lives of so many young girls out there.
“I’d like to be a Big Sister one day,” Miller said. “But I’m just working on getting my driver’s licence.”
