Meals On Wheels
“This was an awesome experience and I enjoyed every bit of it. Almost 4 hours in the kitchen and no accident .. I couldn’t ask for more. It was a great team activity for a very noble cause. It also gave me a chance to know some other regular volunteers at ‘Meals on Wheels’ and was great knowing how frequently Edmontonians volunteer their time serving their fellow citizens in need. Would love to be there again.”
Nauman
“The camaraderie was terrific and I have new and deeper appreciation for work that it takes to prepare and deliver hot meals to Edmontonians in need. I am proud to work for a company that takes time to give back to the communities where we live and work.”
Tom
Habitat for Humanity Restore
“Our group of 10 assisted in the Grand Opening of the Edmonton South Habitat for Humanity Restore on Saturday, May 29th. I would like to say how proud I was of the way everyone pitched in wherever they saw a need. The Habitat for Humanity store was a busy place on Saturday and I believe that each one of the team members were instrumental in making it a successful grand opening. From the ladies who cried their eyes out in the kitchen peeling onions for the bar-be-que, the men who braved the rain and sleet to bar-be-que the hotdogs, and all the folks who helped with the staging of events and customer service, the enthusiasm which the team brought to the day really made this a Day of Service. The weather did not dishearten any of them, and their efforts were appreciated by Diane Belanger and the entire staff at the store.”
Joan
“I spent the past Saturday, indoors out of the rain, meeting new people and giving back where I live. With my co-workers I volunteered for the TELUS Day of Service at the grand opening of the Habitat for Humanity Restore. From kitchen duties to customer care I enjoyed the day. This was my first visit to a restore and the treasures were plenty, from furniture to appliances to books and demonstrations for the handyman. The children were occupied; they had an opportunity to build a birdhouse or a planter. The employees at the Restore made us feel like family. Thank you for a new experience.”
Sharon
“I really enjoyed the day, what a great bunch of volunteers associated with this organization, could not believe the turnout with the weather so miserable, I would have to say the day was a great success.”
Karen
“Had a great time, was working on the barbeque and really enjoyed talking with everyone despite the weather. Was nice to hear the stats on materials NOT going to the landfill during the speeches at the opening.
Kelly
Gilda’s Club
“I remain in awe that so many TELUS team members care and give so much back to our communities. The welcoming and supportive environment provided by Gilda’s Club for families dealing with cancer was truly was inspiring for my daughter and I and we were thrilled to have the chance to help.”
Lloyd
“The facilities, amenities and thoughtfulness put into the clubhouse are superbly impressive (as we all mentioned on multiple occasions). I’ll certainly refer people to Gilda’s Club for support when they or a loved one are touched by cancer. I know my family would’ve used the Clubhouse when my Mother passed away 11 years ago. My brothers and father really could’ve used the down time as well as the resources your library has for support. My boys would’ve really enjoyed Noogieland, as well.”
Barb
“TDOS was an emotional experience for me this year. I volunteered to clean and organize Gilda’s Club in Barrie, which just opened to provide support for families going through cancer. Kristen, the program director, gave us a tour of the clubhouse before we got started. She showed us Noogie Land for kids, the art room, meditation room and the comfy couches in the rooms where people will gather for support meetings. As I wiped the brand new, empty cupboards in the kitchen with a group of TELUS employees, I remembered the way my grandma looked before she lay dying of lung cancer in a hospital bed. And then I remembered her years before, on the good days after she beat breast cancer, wearing a flowered, red scarf over her balding head, smiling and just plain happy to be alive. My grandma didn’t share her sad feelings, even near the end after the doctors had told her that she would die; she did not want to feel vulnerable. I’m not sure if she would have walked into a Gilda’s Club, but she might have if she knew there was an Always Something room, where people can go to be alone.
Later, as I cleaned drywall dust off the blinds, I remembered what Kristen had said about needing a clean environment for people with compromised immune systems. My mom-in-law, who I loved like a mom, battled with Leukemia for three years before she died. We couldn’t send flowers to her room in Princess Margaret because the germs or bugs might have made her sick while she was going through chemo.
My mom-in-law Judi didn’t seek formal support while she was fighting cancer. But when she was in the hospital, she got dressed every day, got out of bed and walked the halls with her IV. She visited other patients and encouraged them to do the same. If there was a Gilda’s Club in Barrie three years ago, I think she would have volunteered while she was in remission. Being part of that community would have helped her even when she wasn’t asking for help.
After holding back my tears all afternoon, I cried when I got in my car. It took me a while to realise that they weren’t tears of sorrow. Cancer has made me feel hopeless for more than seven years. We don’t know how to cure cancer yet. Some people are lucky and they live; others are not. I used to think that there was nothing we could do about it. Gilda’s Club is what we can do. It’s a place for people to feel at home hours away from home while they’re getting treatment at Royal Victoria Hospital. Wii games and yoga classes are luxuries that kids and adults deserve while they are fighting for their lives. It’s a community of people who no longer feel alone.”
Jenn
“I have been volunteering with Gilda’s for over three years now, and it is incredible to see the efforts of so many amazing people finally come to fruition. The Red Door is at long last open! I can’t imagine how it must feel for those who have been involved with the organization, working for nine long years to raise enough funds to get this Clubhouse built…but more, I can’t imagine how it must feel for the new members to know they finally have a place where they can go…for support, for friendship, for community, for laughter. I was privileged to be able to work with Barb, Jenn, Julia, Kristen, Lloyd, and Nancy on Saturday. It really is amazing to see what a few people can accomplish in a few hours!”
Vicki
“Gilda’s Club Simcoe Muskoka and its members in particular, were such very fortunate recipients of the tremendous efforts, great care, fun, energy and enthusiasm of a remarkable group of individuals on Saturday in all of YOU as part of the TELUS Day of Service! The fervour in which you attacked the Kitchen and Noogieland leaving no box unwrapped, no shelf unlined, no dish unwashed, no toy unpacked, no game untested all did wonders to help Gilda’s Club continue to prepare to receive its first members! It was a truly wonderful day and I so enjoyed getting to know each and every one of you! On behalf of Gilda’s Club Simcoe Muskoka community and its members, my heartfelt gratitude and deep appreciation for choosing Gilda’s Club as part of the TELUS Day of Service!
We hope that after your afternoon at Gilda’s Club, experiencing the Clubhouse, learning more about our Program and feeling what it means to be in community with others, that you, your colleagues, families and friends will come through the open Red Door of Gilda’s Club if ever you are looking for social and emotional support in living with cancer.”
Kristen
Program Director at Gilda’s Club Simcoe Muskoka
