Golden Envelope Volunteers honor Gary Canaday’s legacy all year long.
Gary Canaday, with just some of the thousands of envelopes he counted and bundled for Teachers’ Treasures and our teachers.
“Do you have anymore envelopes to work on?”
As an organization that receives donations in bulk, Teachers’ Treasures relies on volunteers to help bundle product into smaller groups so that every teacher has access to a classroom set of materials. A few years ago, Gary Canaday became our official ‘Envelope Bundling’ volunteer.
Every couple of weeks, Teachers’ Treasures staff would answer an email or text from Gary and his family, saying ‘Do you have any more envelopes to bundle?’ Several cartloads of envelopes and rubber bands later, we would send Gary and his team of supporters (grandkids, nephews, nieces, daughters, son-in-laws, his wife, etc.) home with hours of work to do from his official bundling-envelope space; however, it wasn’t long before we would receive a text saying, “Hey…we might need some more!”
When Gary passed in November 2023, Teachers’ Treasures lost a true friend. The hundreds (and hundreds and hundreds) of bundled envelopes still on our shelves waiting to go out into our classrooms stand as testament to his passion for our mission. Envelopes and rubber bands are small things by themselves, but as Gary taught us, they can represent so much more: connection, community, and love.
When not bundling envelopes for TT, Gary was a fisherman, author, John Wayne impersonator (unofficially and mostly just for TT staff), Indianapolis Fever Fan, Wheeler Mission volunteer, and supporter of teachers (he even married one!).
Since his passing, Gary’s wife, Barb, has taken up the mantle of official ‘Envelope Bundling’ volunteer. Every time a teacher picks up a pack of bundled envelopes, they’re taking a piece of Gary’s memory with them into the world.
From left to right: Hanna from TT, Gary’s Daughter, Allison, Gary’s Wife, Barb, and Gary C. completing a hand off of envelopes.
To carry on Gary’s Legacy, Teachers’ Treasures has created the yearly Golden Envelope Award. This award will be given to 3-4 volunteers at the end of each school year to honor their efforts to serve the mission of Teachers’ Treasures. Staff will choose these volunteers based on who has made TT a priority in their lives even during times of transition or personal challenges.
Check out our inaugural class of Golden Envelope Award Winners from 2024 below!
