• Corporate Overview /
• The Community Volunteer Experience

The Community Volunteer Experience™

Launched in January 2006, The Community Volunteer Experience™ enables Westward staff members to volunteer in the immediate community 5 work days each year.

Why Volunteer?

• Experience personal growth and learning
• Feel a sense of connection with a worthy cause
• Be a part of positive change in our community
• Have fun
• Build self-esteem and encourage personal empowerment
• Instill values of giving and sharing
• Through our website and newsletter we promote that Westward is active in the community. This could motivate others companies to start similar programs

This program is overseen by Grant Twitchett,
Director of Corporate Affairs.

What inspired you to start this initiative?

We thought of starting a program that would enable Westward staff members to volunteer because we wanted to give back to the community. We have a young office and a great staff that is keen to volunteer; however, no one had the opportunity or knew where to start. This program not only gives the staff the opportunity to get involved, but also provides them with time to do it.

What are you hoping to achieve?

Staff members benefit from the chance to learn about different events and organizations that exist for the betterment of our community. Getting involved with these programs gives the staff a sense of achievement that otherwise they might not have had the opportunity to experience.  Also, we look forward to promoting this to other businesses in our community that we work with, in hopes they might be inspired to start similar programs.

Grant & Darren completed food delivery
for A Loving Spoonful

A Loving Spoonful is a volunteer driven society that provides free, nutritious meals to people living with HIV/AIDS in Greater Vancouver. It began in 1989 when Easter M Armas-Mikulik began hosting community meals in Vancouver for people with AIDS. The charity’s aim is to battle AIDS wasting, which is a form of malnutrition that results in the person with HIV/AIDS having no strength to fight the disease. A Loving Spoonful also has an infant formula initiative, which prevents to transmission of the AIDS virus from the mother to the child through breast feeding.

Volunteers deliver approximately 275 meals to men, women and children who are mostly homebound with AIDS. Twice a month volunteers in the Easter’s Sunday program prepare a hot meal for a group of their clients. Grant and Darren volunteered for this society and spent a day delivering the meals to people in Vancouver.

Grant sits on the Wish Cup Sports Society's Board of Directors

Grant has been involved with the organization as both a participant and volunteer since it was founded in 2003. He contributes time and energy throughout the year, organizing a 2-day soccer tournament – this year on July 7th and 8th – for the benefit of local charities. The event includes a barbecue and beer garden, and draws media attention from CTV Weekend News, City TV Breakfast Television, Channel M, and Omni TV.

The goal for 2007 was to surpass last year’s achievement of raising over $30,000 for charity. Fundraising proceeds from this year’s event will go to:

• Make-A-Wish Foundation® BC and Yukon
  The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the special wishes of children from ages 3 through 17 who suffer from a life-threatening illness.
• Creative Peace Network®
  The Creative Peace Network educates youth from Middle Eastern conflict zones about other cultures through the experience of a summer camp, to foster a sense of understanding and respect.

Barry donates platelets to Canadian Blood Services

Platelets are the particles in blood that are responsible for clotting. The process of extracting these invaluable elements is called plateletpheresis and requires up to 1 ½ hours per collection. Platelets are needed by patients with extended periods of bleeding, such as those with cancer and hemophilia, and play an enormous role in the treatment of these illnesses.

Having personally witnessed the struggles of fighting to beat cancer, Barry feels very strongly about the importance of donating to CBS. He says of his experience:

"The battles that cancer patients face are daunting—giving platelets is a way of standing beside them. It is truly life-giving. It is so easy literally to give someone a chance at another day to fight the disease, or to spend time with their loved ones."

For more information about donating blood and blood byproducts, visit www.bloodservices.ca or call 1-888-2-DONATE

Roland coaches hockey for the Boys and Girls club

Roland is the coach for a floor hockey team at the Boys and Girls Club of North Vancouver. Roland volunteers each week, coaching the children on the sport.

It is great to watch these children grow, both on and off the hockey floor. I have played hockey for many years and being able to teach what I have experienced is very rewarding. I find that I am learning a great deal about interaction between children and love being part of The Boys and Girls Club team.

Krysten volunteered at the World Partnership Golf Tournament, held this year on August 24th at Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club.

The tournament was a tremendous success, with net proceeds going toward the Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC). The AKFC works toward social development in low-income countries in Asia and Africa, targeting areas of health, education, rural development and community infrastructure.

By building and maintaining childhood development programs, women’s centers, teacher training programs, the Foundation seeks to help these communities become self-sufficient.

I was thrilled to be part of an event for such a worthy cause. Many of the participants had seen first-hand the amazing impact of strategic planning for some of the most vulnerable areas of the world. It made me conscious of how fortunate we are, and how important it is to lend sustainable assistance to those in need.

For more information about the WPGT and the Aga Khan Foundation Canada, visit:
www.worldpartnershipgolf.com
www.akfc.ca

Michael volunteered in the Emergency Department at St. Paul’s Hospital

Michael spent 2 hours a week for 4 months helping out at St. Paul’s.  He was responsible for directing people to the right departments, coordinating telephone calls and taxis, and acting as a liaison between patients, visitors and staff.

Michael assisted hospital staff in locating wheelchairs for the Emergency Department waiting room, assembling crutches, and replenishing clothing and blankets for patient use.

I once had the negative experience of visiting a friend in hospital and getting lost. I remember thinking how much I’d appreciate it if there was someone there to help me.