Farewell

Its hard to say goodbye. After 15 years of fundraising and events work I am moving to a new role. However I will still be working in the nonprofit sector, I guess it's in my blood! 

For those who work in nonprofit, you will understand what I mean. The cause becomes your life. It's your passion and your hobby. To work in this sector is hard and yet the rewards are truly great.  

Where else can one work alongside volunteers, those who choose the work without remuneration, and often say thanks to you, more than you say thank you back.

And while the employees do occasionally become frazzled by the chaos and pace of the job, the volunteers remind us of why we do it, its just as much for them and about them, as it is about the cause.

Volunteers I worked with at the Heart and Stroke Foundation (my previous position before here) still remain in my thoughts.  What I learned, mistakes I made along the way, and survivors like Patti and Sarah who will be forever in my heart. 

Thank you for every one I encountered in my 5 year journey at the Health Services Foundation.  While there are too many people to mention by name, I will make special mention of my grandmother "Tee".  She always gets involved in wherever I work.  And while she no longer volunteers her time, the people in our office at 150 King Street benefit from her monthly delivery of baked goods. 

Farewell until our paths cross again. 

Hannah Routly

Festival of Trees 2012

Meeting Season

The smell of fall is in the air and this means the return of 'meeting season'.  For those who work in nonprofit we know this time as rush time to book and confirm the slew of board and committee meetings that are on hiatus over the summer.

There is something about this routine that is oddly comforting; perhaps that's why I continue on in nonprofit/charitable work after 15+ years!

September also marks the return of placement students from the local Trent University or Fleming College programs, a very welcome addition to our 'small shop' here at the Health Services Foundation.

Kassandra Sewell joins us today from the Fleming Fitness & Health Promotion Program.  She will be here every Wednesday for 7 weeks helping with the www.ptbocorporaterun.com event on Sat September 13 and the 'Laughter is the Best Medicine' luncheon on Nov 28.

Kassandra, hard at work on her first day.

Laughter

How a simple thing like laughter connects and ignites people in your workplace - Carol Lawless

There's nothing I love more than the sound of laughter. Especially when it comes from a group of volunteers working together. 

As I sit at my computer in the corner office in downtown Peterborough overlooking George and King streets, I wonder what is the impetus for such contagious laughter spilling out of the board room at the Health Services Foundation.

Gathered around the long table in the centre of the room, Chit, Marg, Anne, Lindsay and Celia - all volunteers ranging in age from  21 to 77 -  are stuffing envelopes with thank you cards, annual reports and the latest communication pieces reporting on what's new at our Foundation.

I listen but it still offers no clue as to  why they are laughing and I soon realize it doesn't matter. It's such a welcome sound I sit and enjoy it and even get the impulse to join in.

Which is exactly what our Executive Director, Hannah Routly does.. No more than five minutes of joining the group at the table, she too is folding and stuffing and laughing, not only helping to lessen the workload but making the task an enjoyable and worthwhile one. 

From a recent article in The Globe and Mail written by Karl Moore and Sienna Zampino - Why finding purpose at work drives the economy -  www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/leadership-lab/why-finding-purpose-at-work-drives-the-economy/article19693719/

"By building community leaders and allowing their organization to form a bottom-up culture, rather than dictating top-down solutions, leaders will find their organization achieves success through the empowerment of their employees. A sense of community and the feeling of working towards something greater automatically boosts the motivation of employees and their performance.

Mr. Hurst suggests that being collaborative won’t be just a choice for much longer. With the growing need for purpose and a sense of accomplishment and happiness in the workplace, organizations will need to start molding themselves to suit that. And why shouldn’t they? After all, happy employees are good for business."

I get that it's often tough to find joy in what we do. But often more than not, it's a simple thing, like laughter that ignites and connects people resulting in community building,  partnerships and yes, a happier place to work.