Fostering the culture of giving
Despite tough year for the city, we can renew our optimism, confidence
I’m sure we can all agree that 2016 has been a tough year for Calgarians. It would be tough to meet someone who’s not been impacted by the economic downturn.
In two years, Calgary has gone from being one of the best North American cities to live in, to having the highest unemployment rate in Canada. Not only has this downturn created financial hardships for Calgarians, it has also impacted our self-confidence and sense of optimism.
As a Calgarian and businessman, I would like to encourage all of us to reflect on how we can contribute and help the people around us. I believe if we “synergize” our resources, we can lift our spirits and renew a sense of optimism through creating a “culture of giving.”
As a child growing up in a family with limited means, I learned from a very young age to share with my siblings. The city I grew up in during the 1950s and ‘60s was very poor and experienced many social issues.
When I was about 10 years old I remember feeling very thankful for receiving a hot lunch each day at school. One day I was surprised to learn that the hot lunches were provided by a group belonging to a Canadian church. This experience stayed with me and planted a small seed that has inspired me to become a philanthropist and lifelong advocate of giving back and helping others.
I strongly believe if we — parents, family members, citizens and business people — provide an example and encourage a culture of giving, our society will flourish. Big or small, your gift will be greatly appreciated by those receiving it and you will feel good for giving it. More importantly your gift may teach and influence others to do the same.
Whether you provide the gift of time, encouragement or financial support, it all creates a positive impact for you and those you help. A great example is how my business has grown and evolved and at the same time has been able to provide support to many organizations and individuals throughout its 24-year journey.
The company’s core values of Trust, Respect, Integrity, Community and Opportunity represent its name — TRICO — and the foundation of its culture. Its mission is to enhance the lives of our customers and the communities they live in through our products and our work.
Through sharing our success with the community and by helping our neighbours in need to build a better life, we have been able to create value and success for the business. A culture of giving has enabled us to attract and retain firstrate talent within our organization, plus it has helped us gain the trust and respect of customers, partners, the public sector and the community. Our reputation for investing in the community has also helped to open doors and create new business opportunities through helping others.
The outcome of this culture of giving has enabled the organization to plant new seeds to inspire others, produce a positive impact for the community and create sustainability and success for the company. It is my hope to inspire you to serve others and create your own successes through a culture of giving.