philanthropy awareness week, november 12-16, 2013 change the world … · 2013-11-06 ·...

change the worldwith a giving heart

PHILANTHROPY AWARENESS WEEK, NOVEMBER 12-16, 2013

AB, Calgary & Area Chapter

2012Ten Star AFP Chapter

A SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF THE CALGARY HERALD

PHILANTHROPY AWARENESS WEEK: NOV. 12-16, 2013PAGE 2 PHILANTHROPY AWARENESS WEEK: NOV. 12-16, 2013 PAGE 3

Generous. Committed. Selfless. Extraordinary. Changing the World.

This is what philanthropy — giving, volunteering and engage-ment, or technically, the love of humankind — is all about. It’s what we celebrate on National Philan-thropy Day. Calgarians can commit their time or spend their money in countless ways. But for volunteers and donors, philanthropy is not just a consumer choice. It is a statement about them, and what they want their society to look like. When Calgarians make the choice to give, our city becomes better; our world becomes better. As a society, we become more united; we become a community.

The idea of community has be-come extremely important over the past several years, in response to ter-rorism, natural disasters and a tough economy. This was certainly the case for people in Calgary, Canmore and High River — those communities hit hardest by the flood in June. It

was in the response to the call for help that Calgarians demonstrated the extraordinary qualities that have made this city recognized for its truly giving heart.

It’s with this sense of community — in the spirit of philanthropy — that we come together to celebrate.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) is the commu-nity of fundraisers that hosts a week of activities celebrating the critical work that goes on in our city to encourage giving and volunteering. This year marks the 17th annual celebration of National Philanthro-py Day in Calgary. Across North America and around the world, more than 30,000 members of AFP in 231 chapters will gather on Nov. 15 to recognize philanthropy in their communities.

Since 1960, AFP has helped to advance and build fundraising into a recognized and respected profession that serves the public good by link-ing causes and donors. AFP is the

leading organization in the world in advancing ethical fundraising.

In 1963, the association devel-oped its Code of Ethical Principles and Standards, which has been used by countless non-profits around the world. The code helps ensure that charities operate under the highest ethical standards and use donor money effectively and efficiently.

AFP exists to help people change the world. Not just fundraisers, but also donors, volunteers, corporations, foundations and all others involved in the philanthropic process. You will read several stories in these pages, about giving, caring Calgarians.

National Philanthropy Day is our way of bringing people together, raising awareness of causes and developing best practices and standards. Together, we work as one community to ensure that donors see their dreams come to fruition. This is how we change the world, with a giving heart.

Calgary is full of generosity. Whether it’s holding open a door, donating at a checkout or giving time to a child’s school — small acts of generosity make a world of difference.

This year’s National Philanthropy Day celebrates people and their small everyday actions — whether it’s a family that sees a need internationally, and does everything it can to help meet that need, or an individual who has given years and years of time, energy and money to his or her local community.

It’s about how it all impacts other people’s lives and makes our community a better place to live.

During Philanthropy Awareness Week and National Philanthropy Day, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Calgary & Area Chapter is recognizing those partnerships and people who have chosen to give of themselves, in one way or another, to make their community better.

There are more than 86,700 registered charities in Canada, and in Calgary, there are more than 2,220 registered charities. Calgary in particular is a very philanthropic city, with such great volunteers and great donors. We are very fortunate.

You don’t need to be a millionaire to be a philanthropist — you can be a philanthropist with as little as a dollar or an hour. Everytime you give of yourself to help, you make a big difference in someone’s life.

Even if you give a dollar a month, that dollar will help someone, and will make a big difference in someone’s life.

The theme of this year’s National Philanthropy Day celebrations is about how one small action can make a big difference. Whether you call it the ripple effect or the change you never see, it’s about how the actions we all take every day have a long lasting and wide impact on our communities.

We are really excited to celebrate the people who are helping make Calgary a better place. This year, we are giving out seven Generosity of Spirit Awards. We’ll also give out three awards to professionals working in our field, to facilitate that good work and the excitement of sharing those stories. We are so proud to be a small part of celebrating the work they’ve done.

Fundraising is not just about approaching people to ask for money. It’s much more about building relationships, building mutual trust and creating partnerships that are mutually beneficial. A lot of work goes into these partnerships, which can take years to build.

We have amazing passionate investors who make this whole week of events possible. We could not do it without them, or without the more than 40 volunteers who step up and give of their time and energy to make this happen. There are many people involved in making this whole celebration a success. We are grateful to be working with this outstanding team.

Rebecca Bowman, Director of Operations, Fund Development, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Calgary; and Bethany Wall, Fundraising Coordinator at Hull Services

SmAll ACTS mAkE A WoRlD oF DIFFERENCEBRINGING PEoPlE ToGETHER To mAkE ouR CommuNITY A BETTER PlACEmESSAGE FRom AFP CAlGARY & AREA CHAPTER PRESIDENT loRIE ABERNETHY, mA, CFRE

mESSAGE FRom PHIlANTHRoPY AWARENESS WEEk Co-CHAIRS

Co-chairs Rebecca Bowman, left, and Bethany Wall; Monique de St. Croix photo

AFP Calgary & Area Chapter President Lorie Abernethy; Wil Andruschak photo

National Philanthropy Week Events

Generosity of Spirit ReceptionThe Bow Tuesday, Nov. 12by invitation only

Professionals Forum: Building Partnerships for GoodWednesday, Nov. 13Fort Calgary: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.$85 members/ $95 non-members, all sessions includ-ing luncheon What is a meaningful funding partnership? How can you measure success and what are the mak-ings of a good collaboration? This year’s theme, Building Partnerships for Good, explores personal stories and

alliances for the good of our community between chari-ties and donors, businesses, corporations, foundations, employees and other charities

National Philanthropy Day LuncheonFriday, Nov. 15 BMO Centre: 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Presented by RBC in recognition of those individu-als who are actively making our community a better place to live, work and play. More than 1,200 people will attend the flagship event of Philanthropy Awareness Week to hear inspiring stories of humanity through the examples set by the Generosity of Spirit honourees. Tickets can be purchased at

afpcalgary.afpnet.org for $85 each. TEDxYouth@MemorialDriveSaturday, Nov. 1610 a.m. to 3 p.m.In partnership with Youth Central and presenting sponsor First Calgary Financial, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Calgary and Area Chapter, is pleased to sponsor TEDxYouth@MemorialDrive. This event will bring together 100 grade 9 to 11 students from six school districts in and around Calgary to talk about their experiences of community, philanthropy and volunteerism, particularly in relation to the flood events of this past June.

National Philanthropy Day is a special day set aside on Nov. 15. The purpose of this day is to recognize the great contributions of philanthropy — and those people active in the philanthropic community — to the enrichment of the world.

NPD provides an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of giving and all that it has made pos-sible.

First held in 1986, NPD celebrates the endless daily contributions individuals and organizations across the globe make to countless causes and mis-sions. last year, more than 100 AFP chapters held

NPD events and activities across North America.Through NPD, participants are able to show ap-

preciation for all that has been accomplished in the name of giving, as well as show there is still more to do. It’s their chance to step into the spotlight for a brief moment and remind our communities, our society and the world that the spirit of giving is alive and well.

NPD, which is registered with the Patent and Trademark office, u.S. Department of Commerce, is co-ordinated by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

NATIoNAl PHIlANTHRoPY DAYCHANGE THE WORlD WITH A GIvING HEART

Remember, there’s no such thing as a smal l act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.— Scott Adams, American cartoonist

P hilanthropy is the thing that I am real ly excited about, and having success means I can do more..— will.i.am, hip hop artist

— Thinkstock


Entrepreneur. Businessman. Philanthropist. A pioneer of social change.

These are a few of the words that best de-scribe Sam Switzer, co-nominated by the YWCA of Calgary and Fresh Start Recovery Centre for the 2013 Lifetime Philanthropist Award.

A born and raised Calgarian from humble beginnings, who continues to live a modest lifestyle, Switzer has donated millions toward programs that return parents to their children, employees to successful careers and citizens to their community.

Switzer got his first taste of work — and of some of the circumstances he would, decades later, help others emerge from — at the age of five, when he delivered ice in his signature red wagon to his neighbourhood’s local residents.

“We lived on an avenue where there were rooming houses and brothels, and I knew they all had ice boxes,” Switzer recalls. “I would knock on the door and ask for five cents a load.

“In those days a loaf of bread or a carton of milk was two cents, so it was quite good for the family.”

Impacted by what he saw on those delivery runs, by his mother who supported the family, and his four sisters, Switzer went on to support programs that help women access education, break the cycle of poverty and support their families with dignity. Some of these programs include the Vermilion Energy/YWCA Skills Training Centre, as well as edu-

cational bursaries at Mount Royal University, SAIT Polytechnic and Olds College.

Switzer takes an active interest in the orga-nizations he supports, meeting recipients for lunch, attending graduation ceremonies, or just stopping by to chat.

Since the 1960s, Switzer and his late wife Betty have been generous donors of the YWCA, contributing more than $1.5 million to date. Other agencies he supports include Fresh Start which helps people living with addictions, and the Calgary Herald Christmas Fund.

Switzer hired the first female bartender in Alberta in the 1970s, after lobbying the provincial government to change legislation to permit women to serve liquor and remove a significant gender barrier.

He has also volunteered his time in sup-port of numerous organizations such as the Calgary Stampede, Victoria Park Business Revitalization Zone and The Rotary Club of Calgary West.

“Sam’s ability to see the potential in people, take calculated risks to uncover that potential, publicly demonstrate how those actions can and do benefit many people while inspiring others to follow in his footsteps make him a unique leader and philanthropist,” his nominators write.

“We all are indeed fortunate that he calls Calgary his home.”

— Barbara Balfour

Sam Switzer; Monique de St. Croix photo

SAM SWITZERLIFETIME PHILANTHROPISTNOMINATED BY: THE YWCA OF CALGARY AND FRESH START RECOVERY CENTRE

National Philanthropy Day’s Generosity of Spirit Awards are a celebration of phi-lanthropy at all levels in the Calgary community.

AFP Calgary & Area Chapter recognizes the many individuals, groups and businesses that demonstrate the spirit of philanthropy through their outstanding contributions of time, talent, leadership and financial support. The Generosity of Spirit Awards provide an opportunity to celebrate these philanthropic leaders who are making a difference.

Each year, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Calgary & Area Chapter puts out a call for nominations for the Generosity of Spirit awards. While anyone can make a nomination, generally it is local non-profit organizations that nominate vol-unteers or philanthropists who have made a major difference in their communities.

There are seven categories for those who give: corporate, small business, philan-thropic group, individual, youth, philanthropic family and lifetime.

“Just being nominated is an honour — somebody singling you out as having made an impact in an area that matters,” says Bethany Wall, co-chair of the AFP Calgary & Area Chapter’s National Philanthropy Day celebrations and Generosity of Spirit Awards. “Being selected is a significant honour and milestone for a lot of individuals and groups. It’s a way of celebrating the good work they do.”

The nominees go through three separate screenings by volunteers who help choose the winners in each of the seven categories.

This year, there were nearly 50 nominees, “all of whom are amazing groups and individuals making a difference in the lives of others.”

After the honourees have been chosen, the AFP Calgary & Area chapter goes through the process of finding ways to share their stories, through video and news-paper articles, to celebrate the honorees during National Philanthropy Week in November.

The Generosity of Spirit Awards reception takes place Nov. 12.

CREATING mEANINGFul PARTNERSHIPS FoRum FoCuS

CElEBRATING PHIlANTHRoPY

Building Partnerships for Good is the theme of this year’s National Philanthropy Week Professionals Forum in Calgary.

organized by the AFP Calgary & Area Chapter, the Nov. 13 forum will explore per-sonal stories and alliances between charities, donors, businesses, corporations, foundations and employees.

“It’s a way of connecting the community and fundraising professionals, to talk about what matters to the communities we are interested in seeing prosper,” says mira motet, vice co-chair of National Philanthropy Day in Calgary.

“This year, we really want to bring a bigger focus on the importance of partnerships and the work that non-profits do in creating those meaningful partnerships in the community.”

2013 Professionals ForumThe 2013 Professionals Forum, part of

National Philanthropy Week celebrations in Calgary, will bring together fundraising profes-sionals and members of the wider community.

The forum’s morning keynote address by Brent Barootes, president and CEo of The Partnership Group — Sponsorship Special-ists, will examine two Canadian studies and two international studies on sponsorship. In his presentation, The Changing World of Revenue Development — Trends and Impacts for Non-Profits and Charities, Barootes will discuss what charities can do to succeed in the current environment.

Following the morning keynote, there will be a series of concurrent sessions, powered by a trademarked format Pechakucha — Japanese for chit chat — featuring real-world fundrais-ing partnership success stories. Each fundraiser will present a case study in the Pechakucha for-mat (20 slides, 20 seconds per slide) followed by the other side of the partnership — donor, association, foundation or corporation.

Concurrent sessions include Corporate Phi-

lanthropy, with the Alberta motor Association and the university of Calgary’s Schulich School of Engineering; Beakerhead: a story of partner-ship that makes it happen; and the Calgary motor Dealers Association Vehicles and Violins Gala partnership with AlS Society of Alberta.

The second set of concurrent sessions in-cludes Inspirational Individual Philanthropy with Barb Gilba, executive director of fund development at the university of Calgary’s

faculty of medicine, and Bill Sembo, vice-chairman of RBC Capital markets.

Crowdfunding to reach new donor markets is a case study of Calgary’s new arts crowd-funding platform, investYYC.com.

Hear how the partnership between Enerflex and the mS Society built a healthy partnership with the Enerflex Walk for mS.

The format of the six sessions is “unique,” motet says. “It’s one of the first times that I, as a fundraising professional, have seen donors and non-profits talking publicly about what makes those partnerships work.”

During the luncheon keynote address, Steph-anie Robertson, president of SimPACT Strategy Group, will discuss social return on investment for fundraisers. The first accredited SRoI practitioner in North America, Robertson is a leading professional in the area of social impact management and measurement, motet says.

During the luncheon, the winners of AFP Cal-gary & Area Chapter’s 2013 Professional Awards — the Hazel Gillespie Community Investment leadership Award, outstanding Fundraising Pro-fessional Award and outstanding New Fundrais-ing Professional Award — will be honoured.

The professionals forum is Wednesday, Nov. 13 at Fort Calgary from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tickets for are $85 for AFP Calgary & Area Chapter members and $95 for non-members.

“The wider community is more than welcome to join us,” says motet. limited spots are still available. Visit afpcalgary.afpnet.org for more information.

BY JACQuElINE louIE

Rather than being a human, be a humanitarian.

— Kowtham Kumar K, author of the blog Scribing Energy

— Thinkstock


There is no book that can properly explain what it means to be a subsistence farmer in Mozambique or

that can fully describe the economic impacts of the industrialization of China.

And there are very few schools that can transform the hearts of students to give them a passion for the pursuit of meaningful development in struggling nations.

West Island College’s International Studies program, however, has made that its mission, and its students have travelled the globe for more than 15 years making consequential contributions to the communities in which they learn.

“The program began as a regular high school travel experience overseas,” says Claire Allen, director of International Studies at West Island College. “But over the last 10 years, it has become a service learning-based program with students participating in humanitarian service projects on their spring break trips.”

Students in the ninth grade have the opportunity to travel to Europe to better understand some of Canada’s heritage abroad.

The students contribute to the preservation of this heritage by engaging in volunteer work at a Canadian Second World War site, Juno Beach Centre, in Normandy, France.

Then in senior high, more than 100 students travel abroad to be exposed to new cultures and perspectives, as well as to make a sustainable contribution to the developing world through humanitarian projects.

Some recent destinations have included Peru, China, South Africa and Mozambique, Thailand, Morocco and Tanzania, as well as Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.

The program has been transformed over the last decade to reflect the school’s commitment to sustainability and global citizenship.

The goal is to facilitate international experiences that raise social consciousness and environmental awareness while building mutual

understanding and respect for different cultures of the world in order to compliment learning.

The service learning projects are both humanitarian and conservationist in nature.

“The changes we have undergone over the last 10 years were motivated by the belief that we are incredibly lucky here in Calgary,” says Allen. “We wanted our students to understand that most people in the world are not as lucky, and we wanted them to see how their actions could impact others for the better. It is an eye-opening experience for most of our students.”

It certainly was for Daren, who travelled to Cambodia earlier this year as a Grade 11 student.

“As I look back at how small our contribution to the country was, I realized one thing — it’s not about how large or small an impact we made, it’s about the effort to spark a fire within ourselves that will lead us to do many more acts of kindness in the future,” he says.

Allen says the humanitarian service learning is central to the students’ learning and impacts their plans and actions well into adulthood.

“Most students cite the work projects they have done as some of their best high school memories,” say Allen. “We believe that the purpose of the trips is to learn about another culture and part of the world but also to

learn about ourselves through service to the communities we are visiting. The students have the chance to make a difference in their world and truly feel that they have accomplished something that makes the lives of others better.”

The school is now working on a rotation of nine sustainable projects in nine different destination countries.

“We plan to return to these projects every three years and so the students are able to see the impact of the projects and students who were there before them,” says Allen. “That is very powerful.”

P h i L A N T h R o P Y P R o F i L E

West Island College

West island College’s international Studies program raises students’ social consciousness and environmental awareness, while building respect for different cultures.

From my time in Cambodia, I learned to appreciate many aspects of my life back at home. The children at the

school in Cambodia reinforced my belief about the importance of an education and how fortunate we are to

have a safe learning environment. The workers whom we assisted showed me the significance of a hard day’s

labour and what can be accomplished if you set your mind to something. Finally, the culture of Cambodia

showed me the importance of preserving one’s past and one’s culture.

- Andrew Frankiw (Class of 2013) ”“

Creating a better world. Together.West Island College - International Service Learning

www.discoverwic.ca

7410 Blackfoot Trail SE Calgary, [email protected]

Tel: 403-444-0023

Grades 7 - 12WIC

Scott Decksheimer; Monique de St. Croix photo

many positive things in the world would never have happened if it hadn’t been for a fun-draiser. So says Scott Decksheimer, recipient of the outstanding Fundraising Professional award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Calgary & Area Chapter.

“We are surrounded by an amazing group of professionals around the world who do this for a living. I know about the impact we are having on people every day,” says Decksheimer, certified fundraising executive and president of Nine lions Development Consulting, which offers fundraising services and expertise to charities and non-profits across Alberta.

Born and raised in moose Jaw, Deck-sheimer holds a bachelor of arts in public administration from the university of Saskatchewan. He went into fundraising after a university professor encouraged him and other students to consider the non-profit sector in their careers. After university, when Decksheimer was working as assistant manager at a golf store and thinking about his future, he remembered his professor’s words.

“What I realized when looking back, was that I really enjoyed working with volun-teers,” he recalls.

During university, his extra-curriculars includ-ed co-ordinating a number of student events.

“I didn’t mind asking my friends and other people for funds to support a cause that was worthwhile.”

Six months later, he became sponsorship and media co-ordinator for the Broadway Comedy Busking Festival in Saskatoon, a contract position that gave him a chance to get into the industry. Just before he finished that contract, he was offered a position with the Canadian Diabetes Association.

“I was really fortunate there to have a manager who was also a mentor, who helped ensure I got the professional development I needed and who allowed me to run a program that was first rate, and gave me the funds to invest to ensure we could raise even more funds for the cause.”

Decksheimer moved to Calgary in 2000,

taking on role of senior development officer at SAIT Polytechnic. Eight months later, he became SAIT’s director of development.

Decksheimer, who founded Nine lions in 2004, says his company’s most successful jobs for clients have been thanks to a very strong team of staff and volunteers. They had both pas-sion and commitment from organizations with a cause that people were willing to get behind.

“There is nothing more powerful than the human spirit and the work we can do together,” Decksheimer says.

“Everything we are doing now is about build-ing a profession, and I have personally witnessed the emergence of fundraising as a profession in the last 18 years. That is where I dedicate a huge amount of my volunteer time — to make sure

we have a recognized profession. I really have a passion for the profession, because the impact of fundraising is often unrecognized. many see fundraising in terms of dollars raised, but I have witnessed kids’ lives being changed.”

To this end, Decksheimer has dedicated 15 years to building AFP chapters and building a national voice for the organization. In 1998, he founded the AFP’s Saskatoon chapter and he chaired a task force that helped form the Canadian Council of the AFP.

Currently, Decksheimer chairs the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy — Canada, which supports research and education for the fundraising profession. It is publicly accessible, as are the foundation’s scholarships, mentor-ship programs and educational programs.

FuNDRAISERS mAkE AN ImPACT oN PEoPlE EVERY DAY

ouTSTANDiNG FuNDRAiSiNG PRoFESSioNAL

BY JACQuElINE louIE

I really have a passion for the

profession because the impact of fundraising is often unrecognized.

❝

P hilanthropy is almost the only virtue which is sufficiently appreciated by mankind. — Henry David Thoreau American philosopher


For CBC Calgary and Suncor Energy, the Generosity of Spirit Award symbolizes the power of collaboration within a community.

For the past 27 years, they’ve worked together on the largest cash generating event of the year for the Calgary Food Bank — a campaign that is vital to meeting the demands of the winter season for fami-lies in need and has, to date, raised more than $11 million.

“In the past five years alone, we have helped raise nearly $5 million to help feed Calgarians. CBC Calgary and Suncor have been proudly co-sponsoring the drive from the beginning,” says Cathy Glover, director of community investment at Suncor Energy.

“Calgary is a city where people reach out to help others and thanks to their generosity, we are able to exceed our goal every year. This campaign wouldn’t be pos-sible without our campaign volunteers and retirees. It is their dedication and compas-sion that allows us to accomplish our goal every year.”

The campaign started when the produc-ers of the current affairs program at CBC Radio reached out to another crown corporation — known as Petro-Canada before its merger with Suncor in 2009.

Their community investment manager at the time, the late Hazel Gillespie, was a huge contributing factor to the success of the food drive today.

“We were able to reach an enormous group of people, and it worked so well for both organizations,” says Angela Knight, host of the Calgary Eyeopener on CBC Radio One, who has been active with the

campaign for the last 16 years. “The food bank started after that really

big downturn in the 1980s, and the need for it never seems to go away. It’s reflected every day in the stories we tell.

“We chose the food bank because they were transparent, provided immedi-ate assistance and had no political or religious mandate or red tape. It’s easy

for most people to relate to what the food bank does and how they do it. And they assist the community in so many dif-ferent ways — we just saw that with the flood — not just people and families, but also organizations. Their connection is so far-reaching, they’re a vital par t of how this city operates.”

CBC Calgary and Suncor Energy have

been able to exceed the annual Food Bank fundraising goal of $1 million by 20 to 30 per cent in the last few years. In addition to this, both organizations donate significant amount of time, talent and funds to dozens of non-profits and chari-ties each year.

— Barbara Balfour

Paula Ngo; Wil Andruschak photo

Joanne Manser, left, and Angela Knight; Monique de St. Croix photo

CBC CALGARY AND SUNCOR • OUTSTANDING CORPORATE PHILANTHROPIST NOMINATED BY: CALGARY INTERFAITH FOOD BANK

Supporting the power of community.Encana supports Calgary Fire Department investigator Brad McDonald and Honey — theaccelerant detection dog. Encana provides for Honey’s care and gifted the K-9 unit with anatural gas-powered truck. This is just one example of how Encana is helping support safeand successful communities.

encana.com

Sixteen-year-old Paula Ngo can’t say enough about volunteering with Youth Central, a non-profit organization that provides volunteer opportunities for Calgary youth ages 12 to 18.

“When I volunteer, it’s a way for me to get away from the school work, away from the busyness, help people and interact with the community,” says Ngo, a Grade 11 student at Western Canada High School.

“Also, to see the impact I leave on people — that is a reward in itself. It gives me a sense of accomplishment; like I’ve done something for someone else.”

As a student, Ngo appreciates Youth Central’s flexibility. It allows her to volunteer at her con-venience, so she can scale back on volunteering when she is studying for exams and put in more hours when her schedule is more relaxed.

“They provide us with a whole range of projects,” says Ngo, who volunteers at chil-dren’s summer camps held by Between Friends, a charitable organization that provides social and recreational activities for people with dis-abilities. “I really like working with kids.

“When I volunteer, I experience so many things I normally wouldn’t experience. It opens my eyes. Especially with Between Friends — it has left a really good impact on me, being around those kids. Even though they’re dealing with different difficulties, they’re able to persevere and do it with a huge smile on their face. They’re not afraid to ask for help and they’re always smiling.”

Paula also enjoys volunteering at special events, such as GlobalFest and Calgary Comic Expo.

“I think that for kids our age, it’s important to get out there and just get involved in the community,” she says. “It’s a really good thing to give back to your community. Getting out there and volunteering will enable you to experience different things and you also get to meet new people.”

Fellow Western Canada High School Grade 12 student Sheliza kassam will be a speaker at the Nov. 16 TEDxYouth@memorialDrive youth forum in Calgary, which is part of Na-tional Philanthropy Week celebrations.

Sheliza’s organization, Children’s Birth-day miracles, provides birthday parties for children living at Inn from the Cold, and partners with orphanages in Tanzania to offer the same service.

“I think that people my age should get involved with philanthropy, mostly because it allows you to realize how fortunate you are to be living in Calgary in such a welcoming place to live,” says Sheliza, 16.

“Also, it gives you perspective on how you can influence others. one person can’t neces-sarily change the world on their own — you need to bring other people with you. So it’s important to engage and inspire others to join you in the movement to change the world. one person can have an idea but you need a group of people to help get it done.”

Students in grades 9 to 11 from six school districts in Calgary and area will attend the youth forum, which is sponsored by First Calgary Financial — now in its 10th year of

sponsoring National Philanthropy Day Youth activities in Calgary.

Young people are “our next generation of donors, volunteers and fundraisers. Their voice is what will carry the day to improve our com-munity for the next generation and they are a very engaged and insightful generation,” says Jolayne Davidson Gardner, AFP Calgary & Area Chapter chair of the Youth in Philan-thropy Committee.

To reach out to young people, the AFP Calgary & Area Chapter works with a variety of community partners.

“Partnership, and working with like-minded organizations that see the value in encouraging youth to aim higher when it comes to their own personal philanthropy, is very important,” Davidson Gardner says.

“We’ve been so fortunate in Calgary to have so many organizations dedicated to that, who are willing to partner to make it happen.”

one of the AFP Calgary & Area Chapter’s

most important youth-related connections is its decade-long partnership with Youth Central, which provides volunteer opportunities to suit every interest, from the environment and the outdoor, to arts and culture and social causes.

During the summer, young people volunteer at a variety of festivals, including GlobalFest, marda Gras and ReggaeFest. They volunteer at Heritage Park and the Calgary Zoo, they prepare and serve meals at the Calgary Drop-In Centre, build children’s bikes, work with animals — and much more.

“They can sign up for projects that interest them, at dates and times that work for them,” says Youth Central program director Ros Doi.

“What we are trying to do, is work with youth and AFP Calgary & Area to spread the message about philanthropy. We are super proud to be part of National Philanthropy Week. It really aligns with what we’re doing. Ideally, we’re creat-ing those citizens who will take part in this for the rest of their lives as Calgarians.”

YouTH THE NExT GENERATIoN oF PHIlANTHRoPISTS

BY JACQuElINE louIE

“The results of philanthropy are always beyond calculation.” — Miriam Beard, American historian


Jenkyns family; Monique de St. Croix photo

Christi Cruz; Carlos Amat Photography

More than 50 years after raising the first do-nation for an eye surgery hospital in India, the charity founded in Art Jenkyns’s basement has evolved into a multi-million dollar organization.

Now active in not only India but also throughout Africa, money donated to Op-eration Eyesight goes towards the curing of blindness through cataract surgery, preven-tion, education, skills training and the building of clean-water wells.

It all started when a Canadian doctor and missionary named Ben Gullison spoke at a Baptist Federation conference, asking for funding for an eye surgery hospital in Sompeta, India.

Jenkyns, a member of the Baptist men’s or-ganization, was in attendance. Fascinated by how little it cost to make a huge difference in someone’s life — in the 1960s, $10 was enough to restore vision in one eye, while today’s cost is about $35 per eye — Jenkyns was able to raise $840 at a dinner.

The rest is history, says son Jim, who along with his four other siblings and Jenkyns’s 11 grandchildren have continued on with the legacy, long after Jenkyns passed away in 2005.

Growing up, “I can remember fam-ily camping trips planned around speaking engagements at local churches,” says Jim, who attributes the success of the organization to his father’s personality and business sense, and

his mother as his right hand. “He managed it extremely well. He was a shrewd businessman and a man of faith and he felt directed in this way. He also always thanked my mother, who volunteered, typed everything up and sup-ported him in every way needed.”

Since Jenkyns passed away, there have been two other presidents and a board of governors who run the organization and keep the family informed. “It was my dad’s baby,” says Jim.

Today, the Jenkyns family members remain deeply involved in various capacities.

Some do volunteer work around the of-fice, while others tell the Operation Eyesight story at public speaking engagements with groups such as the Rotary Club and Lions Club. They attend the AGMs and continue to be active donors, pooling their money at annual family dinners and functions instead of gifts to pay for cataract surgery for people they will never meet.

“Every tax season, you get a letter with little cards that tell you where your money went,” says Jim, whose own contribution goes to help at least 15 different people every year including, most recently, a 62-year-old grandmother who is among so very many to have received the gift of sight from the Jenkyns family.

— Barbara Balfour

JENKYNS FAMILY • OUTSTANDING PHILANTHROPIC FAMILYNOMINATED BY: OPERATION EYESIGHT

Nursing her mother through six types of cancer and facing mortality through her diagnosis with the same disease, Heather Culbert realized there was much work to be done.

There was an obvious need to raise money for patient care, research and equipment. But what would really help combat the leading cause of death in Canada was a brand-new cancer centre. Fuelled by her experiences as a breast cancer patient and an advocate for her mother, Culbert has worked tirelessly to make both things happen.

“I saw huge gaps in the heath-care system that needed attention, a result of being under resourced or not focusing resources on the right things,” says Cul-bert, who left a senior position in an oil company in 2006 to pursue her passion in philanthropy.

Since then she has raised both awareness and millions of dollars through her numer-ous leadership roles within the Alberta Cancer Foundation, including as members of the Conquering Cancer capital campaign cabinet, the board of trustees, honourary chair of the Calgary Weekend to End Women’s Cancers and, most recently, a member of the enlistment committee and fundraising campaign for the new Calgary comprehensive cancer centre. Building a

strong business case and approaching politi-cians for support, Culbert played a lead role in bringing the centre to fruition, expected to be built by 2018 at the Foothills Medical Centre. She is now tasked with raising an additional $200 million for it.

“The proudest moment of my life was when Alison Redford announced a billion dollars worth of support for a new can-cer centre. I just wish I could have shared this with my mom,” says Culbert, whose mother passed away earlier this year. “She was very supportive and proud and al-ways so excited about all the possibilities.”

Culbert’s work doesn’t end there. She also helped raise $110 million for SAIT Polytechnic as the chair of their five-year fundraising campaign and continues to work as the chair of the United Way in Calgary.

“I just really feel every person has a responsibility to build a better commu-nity, whether with a dollar or an hour of your time,” says Culbert. “My work has ultimately helped me heal with my mom’s passing and makes me feel good about what we’re doing as a community. I feel so fortunate to live in Calgary and be part of that spirit — there’s great hope for a city that really sets the bar for the rest of the country.”

— Barbara Balfour

HEATHER CULBERT • OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL PHILANTHROPISTNOMINATED BY: ALBERTA CANCER FOUNDATION

Heather Culbert; Monique de St. Croix photo

A sense of giving back is a key contribu-tor to a vibrant community, says to Christi Cruz, senior manager of community invest-ment at Telus.

“We all have a role to play. You can give time, talent, or you can give resources. Imagine if everyone did the most they could do,” says Cruz, recipient of the Hazel Gillespie Commu-nity Investment leadership Award, and part of a team that manages the relationship between Telus and the non-profit sector.

“I am inspired every day to do something a little bit better and to make the biggest dif-ference I can. It’s true what Telus says — ‘we give where we live.’ our company is about innovation, collaboration and working with amazing people. I feel we are doing the best community investment work in Canada — finding unique ways to involve our custom-ers, our employees and our retirees. Telus is a company with soul.”

Cruz, who has worked at Telus since 1993, was born in Santiago, Chile, and moved to Canada with her family when she was a child.

Inspired an elementary school teacher, her initial goal was to become a professor. She ob-tained a master’s degree in education from the university of Western Australia, with plans to continue on for a PhD. But fate intervened when she landed a job in the sales department at what was then AGT, now Telus, and she hasn’t looked back since.

Early on in her career, Cruz was also in-spired by Hazel Gillespie and her nationally and internally recognized work in the field of community investment at Petro-Canada.

“Hazel was a thoughtful leader but what made her special was her generosity in help-ing others to develop as leaders and find their way,” Cruz says.

Gillespie inspired Cruz and two of her colleagues, Joanne mcDonald and michelle madley, to found the Calgary Community

Investment Council in 2003. Now with more than 90 corporate members, the coun-cil’s objective is to provide community in-vestment practitioners with a forum to share learnings and discuss strategies. The Calgary Community Investment Council recently served as a critical communication channel during the flood, acting as an information source and place to share knowledge.

“Everyone can lead,” says Cruz. “We need leaders. We need lots of them, and we need diversity in leadership.”

She also believes we will see great change when communities move from transactional to transformational philanthropy.

This will lead to a shift from people simply giving a cheque to a charitable organization to

people becoming more involved, asking ques-tions to find out how their contributions are making a difference and, most importantly, by people using their purchasing power to support businesses that believe in giving back to the community, she says.

“It’s really important for consumers to support companies such as Telus that have a commitment to give back,” Cruz says.

“We all need to better understand phi-lanthropy, how charities work, why they are critically important and how volunteers en-sure that their work is carried out. We need to support local charities and those busi-nesses that give locally. Try it, you’ll like it. That’s what Hazel would say, and I couldn’t agree more.”

lEADERS NEEDED To CREATE VIBRANT CommuNITIES BY JACQuElINE louIE

hAzEL GiLLESPiE CoMMuNiTY iNvESTMENT LEADERShiP AWARD

I am inspired every day to

do something a little bit better and to make the biggest difference I can. It’s true what Telus says — ‘We give where we live.’

❝

Anywhere I see suffering, that is where I want to be; doing what I can. — Princess Diana

PHILANTHROPY AWARENESS WEEK: NOV. 12-16, 2013PAGE 12

Whether they’re seeking an answer for a medical issue or seeing their unborn child for the very first time, most patients who come to EFW Radiology are at a vulner-able stage in their lives.

“They might be going through illness or pregnancy and their emotions are raw. They’re trusting us in that moment when they need someone and so we asked ourselves, ‘how can we take the care we provide to them and apply it across a broader section of the community?’” asks Dr. Houman Mahallati, a radiologist and manag-ing partner at EFW, which has provided screening and diagnostic imaging to patients in Calgary and surrounding areas since 1969.

“The next level above an individual in a community is a family. It could be as small as an immigrant family whose mother needs care that is sensitive to her religious and cul-tural needs, or the family could be as large as what we call the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. For us, the thread that ties it all together is making a difference in those families’ lives.”

EFW has worked closely with the Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association to hold female-only days within their clinics to accom-modate cultural and religious needs. It has also extended its support to post-secondary varsity athletes with imaging needs.

In 2012, EFW gave $50,000 to the Alber-

ta Cancer Foundation, directed specifically to the Southern Alberta Breast Tumour Group. EFW’s contribution will go toward ongoing research into new breast cancer treatments through clinical trials at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre.

Even though computer-assisted detec-tion, a technology used to analyze mammo-grams for early breast cancer detection, is not covered by Alberta Health Care, EFW provides it at no cost to all patients. Before the spring of 2012, it charged a nominal fee, of which 30 per cent was donated to the Alberta Cancer Foundation.

EFW has continued to further promote awareness and raise money for cancer through its involvement last summer with the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer.

The company committed funds, riders, awareness and jerseys to the Tom Baker Cancer Conquerors team and helped fundraise more than $300,000.

“As an organization, we came to real-ize that supporting women’s health and helping build stronger, healthier families was a natural fit,” says Mahallati. “We feel extremely fortunate to be part of the this great community — one large family, with a lot of generosity of spirit themselves.”

— Barbara Balfour

As one of the key values of her religion, volunteer work started early for Sheliza Kassam.

At the age of five, she started assisting seniors at her mosque. At six, she joined Girl Guides, where she learned about the importance of service work. But it wasn’t until her allergic reaction to a cake at her 12th birthday party that Kassam’s volunteer efforts catapulted to an international level.

“All of a sudden I realized that I should be grateful to even have a birthday party and that many other kids my age didn’t have that opportunity,” says Kassam, 16. “My parents spoiled me and always got me everything I wanted. But they also taught me the importance of sacrifice and putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.”

Kassam went on to celebrate her next three birthdays at Inn from the Cold, where she used the money her family would have normally spent on her to make dinner for the families there instead. She’s also started her own organization, Children’s Birthday Miracles, to ensure every child at Inn from the Cold gets a birthday party of their own. No detail is overlooked at these monthly parties, from the cake and gifts to loot bags and entertainment.

“These parties give the kids the op-portunity to see a birthday as not only a chance to celebrate a day. When you blow

out that candle, it’s a chance to wish for a miracle,” Kassam explains, remembering in particular a child who wished for a home.

“The parties are also a way for the families to come together and focus on the love and connection between them.”

McDonalds and Coca-Cola have signed up as sponsors of Kassam’s organization, which she is already expanding inter-nationally into Peru and Tanzania. While juggling this with her studies as a Grade 12 student at Western Canada High School, Kassam also holds leadership roles in numerous other organizations such as Pathfinders and Junior Achievement.

Through her partnership with the Lions Club, she’s helped collect thousands of pairs of used eyeglasses around Calgary to be refurbished and sent to third world countries.

Since 2009, Kassam has volunteered more than 450 hours for Youth Central, where her activities range from co-chairing a mayor’s youth council commit-tee and packing food hampers to serving meals at the Drop-in Centre and working with adults with disabilities.

“The life I’ve had has pushed me to help provide the same kinds of opportunities to others,” says Kassam.

— Barbara Balfour

EFW RADIOLOGY • OUTSTANDING SMALL BUSINESS PHILANTHROPISTNOMINATED BY: ALBERTA CANCER FOUNDATION

SHELIZA KASSAM • OUTSTANDING YOUTH PHILANTHROPISTNOMINATED BY: YOUTH CENTRAL

EFW Radiology; Monique de St. Croix photo

THANK YOU CALGARY FOR MAKING OUR CITY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.

The Calgary Herald congratulates all of the 2013 Generosity of Spirit Award Nominees!

The Calgary Herald is proud to be the recipient of the

Association of Fundraising Professionals Calgary & Area Chapter

2012 Generosity of Spirit Award for Outstanding Corporate Philanthropist

and the AFP International’s 2013 Outstanding Corporation Award.

Both awards are in recognition of the Calgary Herald Christmas Fund

which has raised $20.7 million for Calgarians in need since 1991. Sheliza Kassam; Monique de St. Croix photo


Since it started 26 years ago, the Willow Park Charity Classic Golf Tournament has raised more than $8 million for Calgary-based charities.

As one of the largest charitable golf events in the country, it supports local initiatives as wide-ranging as affordable housing, mobile health care and treating child cancer.

But it’s much more than just the event itself, held every year in the third week of July.

It’s a network of thousands of philanthropists and business profes-sionals who use their leadership and influence to continue giving to charity throughout the year.

“It started by a group of mem-bers from the Willow Park Golf and Country Club who said, ‘Isn’t it great we have this beautiful golf course? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could find a way to give something back to the community and make an event out of it?’” says Bob Knight, chairman of the Willow Park Charity Classic.

“The first charity chosen was Crime Stoppers; we raised $25,000 for them in our first year. And it evolved from there, thanks to ac-knowledgement from the community.

“Many of the people who sit on the committee have done so for 18 years. And about 20 per cent of our golfers have played in every event.”

The committee tends to select charities that are innovative in nature and don’t get funded from traditional sources.

This year, the tournament raised $500,000 for the Impact Society of Calgary, a program run in Calgary high schools that has, so far, taught character and leadership development to more

than 150,000 students. In 2012, another $500,000 was

donated to The Alex, a bus fully equipped with dental and medical equipment and volunteer dentists and doctors, that stops in underprivileged neighbourhoods throughout the city.

Next year’s charity is Meals on Wheels — one of four organizations in Canada that does its own food

preparation, says Knight. “It’s quite incredible, the amount of

volunteers who give up their time to prepare food for people they’ve never met before,” he says.

“One thing that touched me a lot is when we had a family with three kids who relied on The Alex for health care come out to our tournament. It was nice for the golfers to meet them, but also for

the kids who had never been to a golf course. Seeing the excitement in their face, it made you a little teary-eyed.

“You hope a little afternoon like that motivates them to push a little harder to stay on track, get an education and stay healthy.

“Not everybody has it easy out there.”

— Barbara Balfour

Back row, from left, Rick Breen, Doug Robinson and Bob Knight. Front row, from left: Lorraine Carpentar, Brad Thompson, Angela Knight, Liz Ambedian and Diana Wennerstrom. Missing are Cal Wenzel, Russ Girling, Matt McLeod, Jim Jempson, Jon Fisher and Rob Lindstrand; Monique de St. Croix photo

Janeen Webb; Monique de St. Croix photo

WILLOW PARK • OUTSTANDING PHILANTHROPIC GROUP NOMINATED BY: THE ALEX

Calgarians live in an incredible city, says Janeen Webb, director of donor relations at Inn from the Cold.

“I am in awe of the generosity of Calgarians,” says Webb, who is the recipient of the Out-standing New Fundraising Professional award from the Association of Fundraising Profession-als Calgary & Area Chapter.

“I have had the pleasure of meeting Calgary’s most philanthropic, from the eight-year-olds who bring their piggy bank in at Christmas to the 85-year-old who comes in unannounced with a major gift.

“I am very humbled by it all. It continues to amaze me how Calgarians will give, just because they’re asked. National Philanthropy Week is a very important reminder to all of us, of the incred-ibly warm and generous city we live in, as well as the kindnesses that often go unnoticed around us.”

Originally from Millet, a small town in the Edmonton area, Webb holds a bachelor of arts degree in English and a bachelor of education, both from the University of Calgary.

“I’m about 1,000 miles from where should be, based on my degrees,” she says.

Webb was an elementary school teacher for two years, and her career path appeared to be set.

“I had every plan of being an English professor, and then I took a small sojourn and raised two wonderful children,” says Webb, who for the past 10 years, has owned Safe and Sound Baby Proof-ing, “a Mom-owned-and-operated baby safety company.”

She first became involved in fundraising as a volunteer.

“While I was at home as a full-time mom, I wanted to give back to the community and found this amazing organization — Inn from the Cold. I started volunteering with them in 2006 as a fundraiser, helping a wonderful group organize galas, and fell in love with their mission and mandate. That’s what drives me.”

In 2009, Webb started working at Inn from

the Cold, which provides homeless families and individuals with temporary emergency shelter. She became Inn from the Cold’s director of donor relations a couple of years later.

“It’s a blessing to work with an organization so in sync with its mission,” she says. “It is a constantly rewarding role I have, connecting generous Calgar-ians with the incredibly important work that is happening here.”

For anyone who wants to get into the fund-raising field, Webb recommends starting out at a small organization.

“Smaller organizations can’t always compete by way of salary or benefits, but the hands-on learning opportunities are priceless,” she notes. “I started in a two-person shop where we had to do everything and I had to learn every facet of fund development. Five years later, I feel that intense growth curve was highly beneficial.”

Webb, says the training and development for new fundraising professionals is exemplary at small shops.

“You have to make do. You learn at a rapid rate.” For Webb it was all worth it, in terms of start-

ing her career as a co-ordinator and becoming director just a couple of years later.

In addition, Webb can’t say enough about the fundraising professionals in this city. On her career path, she found there was always a men-tor or peer to support her. Whether it’s on the fundraising side or the community investment side, “there is always the offer of assistance for new fundraisers.”

BY JACQuElINE louIE

ouTSTANDiNG NEW FuNDRAiSiNG PRoFESSioNAL

‘IT CoNTINuES To AmAZE mE HoW CAlGARIANS WIll GIVE ’

It is a constantly rewarding role

I have, connecting gener-ous Calgarians with the incredibly important work that is happening here.

❝

Charity begins at home but should not end there. — Sir Francis Bacon, English philosopher

Philanthropy Awareness Week, Nov. 12-16, 2013ChANGE ThE WoRLD WiTh A GiviNG hEART

is a special publication of the Calgary Herald in partnership with the Association of Fundraising Professionals Calgary & Area Chapter Co-ordinators: Jennifer Worley, Calgary Herald; Rebecca Bowman, and Bethany Wall, Philanthropy Awareness Week Co-Chairs

AB, Calgary & Area Chapter

2012Ten Star AFP Chapter

Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation | Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank |Canlearn Society | Calgary Stampede Foundation | Haskayne School of Business – University of Calgary

YWCA of Calgary | Youth Central | Operation Eyesight Universal | Wood’s Home Foundation | United Way of Calgary and Area | Stephens Backpacks Society| Inn From the Cold | Canadian Cancer Society |

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Thank you to our generous investors

Friday, November 15th, 2013

GOLD INVESTORS

SILVER INVESTORS

LUNCHEON PRESENTING INVESTOR YOUTH FORUM PRESENTING INVESTOR GENEROSITY OF SPIRIT™ RECEPTION PRESENTING INVESTOR

PROFESSIONALS FORUM PRESENTING INVESTOR DOC SEAMAN INDIVIDUAL PHILANTHROPIST AWARD BRONZE INVESTORS

FRIEND INVESTORS

EVENT & TECHNOLOGY INVESTORS

MEDIA INVESTORS

Black Fund Development Inc.CCVO

Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP), Southern Alberta RoundtableDuncan and Verda McNeill

Thompson Penner & Lo LLP, Certified General Accountants

Thank You Calgary!For suppor�ng the 17th annual Na�onal Philanthropy Day® and Philanthropy Awareness Week.

Congratula�ons to our Generosity of Spirit ™ Award Recipients:Sam Switzer (Life�me), Heather Culbert (Doc Seaman Individual Philanthropist),

Sheliza Kassam (Youth) CBC Calgary /Suncor (Corporate), EFW Radiology (Small Business),Willow Park Charity Golf Classic (Group) Jenkyns (Family)

We are grateful to all the Nomina�ng Organiza�ons for your submissions and to our Volunteers who make thesecelebra�ons meaningful for all. And to our sponsors and investors who make Calgary’s Na�onal Philanthropy Day extraordinary…

Because of you, we are truly changing our world.Follow us on Facebook, Twi�er and our website – www.afpcalgary.afpnet.org for photosand cap�ons from this year’s events. And stay tuned for the 2014 Generosity of Spirit

Awards – Call for Nomina�ons in the spring 2014.

philanthropy awareness week, november 12-16, 2013 change the world … · 2013-11-06 ·...

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