Bringing Dreams to Life

The American Express Canada ‘Room For Thought’ contest has been taking the country by storm over the past few weeks, and the journey toward its exciting conclusion is rapidly unfolding. For those of you who have been closely following the progression of this inspiring event, the American Express Canada team has recently unveiled the names (and ideas!) of the nine finalists who are now gunning for the incredible opportunity to bring their dreams to life.

Only three ideas will be chosen for the final round (one for each category), but with the promise of working with celebrity mentors such as Les Stroud, Craig & Marc Kielburger and Emily Haines in sight, it’s no wonder that so many astoundingly innovative submissions have been generated thus far. Without a doubt it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity not only to work with some truly inspirational innovators but also to change Canada (and the world) in a remarkable way.

For those of you who aren’t one of the lucky nine finalists however, don’t fret: you still have a major role to play in deciding which of the nine finalists gets to take their idea to the top. Over the next two weeks each of the finalists and their ideas will be posted to the American Express Canada Facebook Page where YOU the public will get to vote for your favorite in each category (Travel/Adventure, Community & Music). The three top entries per category have just been announced, so make sure to jump over to the voting page in order to help decide which ideas have the most potential.

In the meantime, Trend Hunter is proud to spread the word about the nine inspiring finalists and their exciting ideas:

Community

Survivor Garden – Lisa Shanker
Lisa’s idea is to start a therapeutic garden for people recovering from serious illness.

The Rupali Project – Jody Cason
Jody Carson’s idea is to send used sewing machines to India to create prosperity for third world women. 

Miracle on Your Street - Christina Parkhurst
Christina’s idea is to take a community Christmas Spirit Dinner nationally.

Travel

Preserving Time - Robert Postma
Robert’s idea is to photograph remote parts of Canada to document climate change.

Canadian Road Trip - Carl Fortier
Carl’s idea is to take the underprivileged on a cross-Canada road trip.

The Second Chance Travel Co-op - Evan Malach
Evan’s idea is to give underprivileged youth the chance to travel the world.

Music

GHOST II - Andrew Huang
Andrew’s idea involves a music installation piece that lets users interact with music in a unique way

Everyone’s Recording Studio - Sasha Spachak
Sasha’s idea gives people free access to instruments and recording equipment.

Music Mentors - Nicole Vanderburg
Nicole’s idea pairs high school music students with younger kids who can’t afford lessons

Check out the American Express Canada Facebook Page for even more details on the nine finalists and their amazing ideas. Your voice will help make the American Express Canada ‘Room For Thought’ contest a success!