Former San Jose Sharks centre Ryan Carpenter had hockey in his blood. But as a Christian, he welcomes the opportunity to share his testimony with others, and he writes “Romans 5:8” on every hockey stick he uses. “It’s a very simple way of sharing the gospel with others. I’m very thankful the love of God is always the same toward us, when we’re getting it right and even when we’re not.”

To some, a haircut might seem like a simple thing, but to Ellie Ollenberger andthose she helps, it’s a gift of hope. The 22-year-old hair stylist at Bromley Hair Lounge in Maple Ridge, B.C., volunteers to cut hair at The Salvation Army’s Ridge Meadows Ministries. “Giving back to my community is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done,” she says.

“I’d always gravitated toward children with special needs, children who are extremely vulnerable,” teacher Lori Barry explains. “These children need so much attention, but they often fall between the cracks.” Lori has been teaching now for 30 years, most of that time in special education. “I’ve spent a career teaching the children that no one else wanted to teach, that no one wanted to commit to—and they’ve changed my life.”