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Dragon boat festival inspires
civic
engagement
According to Lisa Atkinson of the Kawartha Credit Union (KCU), and Carol Mutton of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), employee participation in community events such as the recent Dragon Boat Festival build teamwork, communication skills, and camaraderie. The festival, which took place June 14 at Del Crary Park on Little Lake, was organized by Survivors Abreast. More than $120,000 was raised for the Breast Assessment Centre, through sponsorships and participation by teams of dragon boat rowers. Eighty-four teams of 22 rowers participated – and the vast majority were comprised of participants from area businesses and organizations. “The event provided the opportunity for staff to help raise funds for a great cause, and at the same time, they benefited from an excellent team-building experience,” says Lisa, who works in marketing for KCU. “They were all working for a common goal. It gave them the opportunity to get involved together in something meaningful.” KCU was a sponsor, with two dragon boat teams, and Lisa and CEO Rob Wellstood handed out awards afterward. This was the second year KCU has participated in the event, and the MNR’s third year. “The experience definitely has a positive impact at the workplace,” says Carol, who works in human resources at the MNR. She also served as a chair of the event, and helped recruit four teams of MNR employees. Events like the Dragon Boat Festival boost morale and relationships among co-workers, she explains. In turn, a more positive and co-operative work environment is created, she adds. Community involvement is becoming more mainstream among businesses, says Carol. “Companies and organizations are becoming more conscious of the importance of volunteering in the community. It helps to have visibility in the community; to do something hands-on and concrete, versus simply handing out (donation) cheques. And, it certainly has more personal meaning for individuals.” According to Carol, a lot of businesses have volunteering and community support built in to their mission statements. An example is KCU’s mission statement: ‘To respect the dignity of individuals; to assist in the development of each person’s self-reliance; to improve quality of life within our communities.’ “The Dragon Boat Festival addresses our mission statement. Our involvement is an example of who we are; it defines Kawartha Credit Union,” says Lisa. Other community causes supported by KCU staff include a local school breakfast program and children’s safety program. Although both KCU and MNR support employee involvement in community causes, employees must, for the most part, do their volunteer tasks on their own time. Staff from both businesses who participated in the Dragon Boat Festival attended meetings and practices on their own time, outside of the workplace, say Lisa and Carol. Recruitment was “easy,” as staff who were already aware of the event came forward on their own accord and offered to volunteer, they say. The MNR is moving toward a more formal commitment to community support, adds Carol. For example, some staff are specifically assigned to be involved in United Way projects – work that is done along with their regular job, she explains. “And, we’ve got some policies and guidelines in-the-works that address volunteerism. It will increase awareness about the value of volunteering, and it will most likely become more integrated into the workplace.”
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