Finance
Community Programs - 2007
200 Mile BBQ - May 11, 2007
On May 11 2007, WPCG held our first annual 200 mile BBQ to raise awareness of the 100 mile diet, which is a movement to eat only locally grown foods. WPCG staff researched and created a menu for our BBQ which only included foods, beverages, condiments and supplies which were produced within 200 miles of Burnaby. By choosing local products, we support the local economy. We also support the environment by lessening the amount of fuel used to ship the products, which reduces emissions and conserves fossil fuels. Our BBQ brought awareness of these important environmental and social issues to our employees, their families, and community. More importantly, our BBQ showed it can be easy and fun to support local products and eat a healthier diet.If you are interested in creating The 100 Mile Diet in your home, please visit Eat Local and Eat BC.
Easter Seals 24 Hour Relay - June 16-17, 2007
From June 16-17, a team of WPCG employees participated in the Easter Seals 24 Hour Relay, which raises money to send disabled children to camp. We helped set up for the relay as well as participated in the event. Collectively, the Easter Seals 24 Hour relay raised over $1 million!! We also held a Green Car Wash, using biodegradable soap, in our parking lot to help raise some extra money for the cause. WPCG is proud to have been able to support such a worthy campaign.
Helping the Foodbank - multiple dates in 2007
One of WPCG’s most popular external initiatives is volunteering at the Greater
Vancouver Food Bank. So far, we have donated multiple hours and staff members to help the Food Bank’s warehousing organization. The Food Bank is especially in need of donations during the summer months. Monetary donations, volunteer hours, and baby supplies are especially appreciated. The Food Bank feeds over 9000 people every week, mostly families. Many of the people who use the Food Bank also volunteer there, and we were privileged to work alongside them. WPCG is excited to continue aiding this worthy organization through our CR program.
MS Scenic City Bike Tour - August 12, 2007
On August 12th, 2007, WPCG participated in the Vancouver MS Scenic City Bike Tour. The 30km tour began at Creekside Park at Science World, winded through Kitsilano, led up to UBC Farm and finished up at Science World. It was a really great time and a rewarding event for all who participated, as well as a good workout! Thank you to all who pledged WPCG to help us support the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.
UBC Farm / The Living Room Drop-In Centre
To support sustainable agricultural practices, WPCG has been down on the farm! A group of 13 enthusiastic WPCG employees joined staff at the UBC farm, a 24 hectare teaching, research and community farm located right on UBC campus. It’s a student-driven organization where anyone can come and learn about the connection between land, food and community. UBC farm is the only working farm within Vancouver city limits. WPCG staff helped farm employees to harvest, clean and package vegetables.
After all the harvesting was done, we were fortunate enough to be able to donate a box of produce to The Living Room Drop-In Centre, a charity in the downtown east side. Living Room is part of Lookout Emergency services, which works to provide housing to the homeless and help get people off the streets. There are over 160 people who come to the shelter everyday. The organization offers a variety of structured and unstructured programs to help teach homeless people the life and social skills to maintain a normal, independent living situation.
WPCG would like to thank Pizza from Hell and Hell’s Kitchen restaurants in Kitsilano for sponsoring our event and providing us with delicious pizza!
A day for the YMCA!
WPCG staff volunteered time to support two of the YMCA’s most worthy programs: their child care program and YMCA connections. YMCA connections is a “bridging program” which helps new immigrants to settle in the Lower Mainland by matching them with local hosts who act as friends and mentors. Senior WPCG staff joined Connections Staff in a roundtable discussion about how to manage cross-cultural differences in the job hunting process. WPCG provided expertise on resume creation and job interviewing techniques so that new immigrants will be better prepared for the competitive Canadian workforce. Everyone found the discussion stimulating and useful. To find out more about the Connections Program, visit www.ymcaconnections.org.
While senior staff were meeting with the Connections staff, another group of WPCG volunteers was providing much-needed gardening services for the Beach Avenue YMCA Child Care Centre. The team pruned trees, removed shrubs, weeding, cleaned windows, and even swept the playground while excited toddlers followed their every move. Who would have known that gardening was a spectator sport! A quarter of YMCA child care centres are located in inner-city neighborhoods, helping to support at-risk families by providing a safe and nurturing child care environment. WPCG’s work replaced that of costly landscapers, leaving the YMCA with extra money to help lower costs for hardworking and deserving families.
Helping the Wildlife - October 26, 2007
On October 26, 10 enthusiastic WPCG employees volunteered their time with the Wildlife Rescue Association. We disinfected animal care supplies, sorted new donations and gave the kennels a good scrub down. The Wildlife Rescue Association is BC's biggest urban wildlife rehabilitation association. They help 3,200 animals of more than 150 species to get back on their feet each and every year. WPCG was glad to be on the front lines helping to offset the toll that pollution, car accidents, and other urban mishaps have on our animal neighbours.Movember - November, 2007
This November, the men of WPCG in Calgary and Vancouver are taking part in Canada's first ever Movember, a moustache-growing event to raise money and awareness about prostate cancer. WPCG's own Dustin Goodbrand is the main point of contact for all Calgary Movember events and is the host of the end of the month "Mo Town" party at Coyotes Bar and Grill. Effecting 1 out of every 8 Canadian men, prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men. The moustaches grown by Movember participants, or "MoBros," are a fun way to raise money and to start the conversation about this serious disease. All proceeds will benefit The Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada.
For more information about Movember, visit http://youtube.com/watch?v=2ZpNGX8fKY0, or read this Macleans article about the movement.
To find and sponsor a Movember participant, please visit the official Movember website.
Empty Stocking Fund Charity Auction - Dec. 6, 2007
Since 1918, the Empty Stocking Fund has given hundreds of thousands of disadvantaged children a cause to celebrate. Community organizations that benefited from money raised during the campaign include designated Christmas Bureaus, Salvation Army units, and other worthwhile charitable organizations throughout B.C. In 2006 alone, supporters donated nearly $420,000 to the fund, ensuring that thousands of those in need had something to look forward to. WPCG is proud to have donated a prize for this year's silent auction.
Helping the Soup Kitchen - Dec. 7, 2007
On December 7th, 12 WPCG employees volunteered their services and good spirits at the Union Gospel Mission's soup kitchen. We prepared, served, and tidied up after the meal. Union Gospel Mission began serving the hungry and homeless in 1940. In addition to emergency meals, they also provide shelter, recovery services, community outreach, and chaplain services to the Lower Mainland's most needy citizens. To learn more about UGM visit www.ugm.ca.