So fresh and so clean: how we’ve been brightening up our communities

Cheers to International Volunteer Day: a “global celebration of volunteers… that shines a light on the impact of volunteer efforts everywhere.” What better time than now to explore the stories of a few our very own dedicated volunteers?

If the orange shirts in these photos look familiar, it’s likely because you’ve seen us out and about before: Payworks staff are in your community all year long thanks to our Pay it Forward (PIF) program, which allows each employee two paid days off to volunteer at an organization about which they’re passionate.

Today, we’re spotlighting some of the folks who weren’t afraid to get a little dirty while cleaning up this summer: whether it was wiping down muddy paws, sprucing up their local park, or freshening the halls with a much-needed paint job.

Restoring the beauty of Riverside Park

Riverside Park is Cambridge, ON’s largest public green space, drawing visitors from all over the region to enjoy its trails, playgrounds, splash park and sports courts. But with a lot of foot traffic comes a lot of garbage left behind.

Back in June, our Cambridge crew came to the rescue with a PIF Day park cleanup! And this PIF Day came with a little extra incentive: local Service Manager Jacqui Fowley upped the stakes by offering a free lunch to whoever picked up “the weirdest item”… which turned out – by unanimous vote – to be “one sock in one shoe.” Congrats on your win, Darlene!

Photo: Our Cambridge cleanup crew taking a quick (and well-deserved) break in the shade.

Grateful passersby stopped to share their thanks.

“This clean-up drew significant attention from local residents, many of whom expressed interest in our efforts and our organization,” shares Joey Vaughn, Implementation Manager. “The compliments and words of appreciation made it especially meaningful and rewarding!”

For Client Service Representative Shelley Goll, the day was extra significant.

“Riverside Park holds a special place in my heart because, when I was little, my Oma would take me there all the time,” she explains. “It felt nice to give back and clean up the park, and to keep those memories alive.”

Lending a hand at the Cochrane & Area Humane Society

One month later, our Calgary team arrived at the Cochrane & Area Humane Society ready to roll up their sleeves and do some cleanup of their own. Their first task of the day: giving a litter of very fluffy, very squirmy and very adorable puppies a much-needed bath. Best PIF Day ever?!

This capable crew also helped with laundering blankets, power-washing kennels, and even pulling some weeds before it was time to socialize with the pups one last time and then hit the road.

Photo: Bath time for a very soggy doggy.

“It was such a great experience to share my time with these lovely animals,” says Credit Risk Analyst Gladys Marquez. “It made me realize how lucky my dog is and how important it is to share our time and love with the animals in the shelter.”

“I kept hearing the team say ‘this is the best-ever PIF Day!’” shares Caroline Mailloux, Communications Specialist and Translator. “We helped people and animals in our community and we had a great time doing it. Win-win!”

Brightening up the residential space at Villa Rosa

As the calendar turned to August, Winnipeg-based members of our Marketing team gave an enthusiastic “yes!” to the opportunity to support Villa Rosa – a local prenatal and postnatal residence – through United Way’s Day of Caring program.

Upon arriving onsite, they were equipped with rollers, ladders and drop cloths, and were asked to freshen up the entry hallway in one of the residential spaces with a fresh coat of paint. And by the end of the morning, the hallway looked much brighter and the PIFers had enjoyed the chance to greet a few of the new moms (and sweet babies!) as they headed out for their day.

Photo: Marketing gets some laughs in amidst all the painting.

“I loved having the opportunity to bring life to a place where new chapters begin,” says Channel Marketing Specialist Chelsea Perrault. Doug Coombs, Business Development Manager, agrees, adding that “meeting one of the moms and seeing how comfortable she and her baby were at Villa Rosa stood out to me the most.”

“Helping out at Villa Rosa reminded me how much fun giving back can be, especially with a team that works so well together,” shares Alejandra Mejicanos, Marketing Coordinator. “We also may have set a new record for fastest hallway painting!”

Looking to join a team where giving back is second nature? Learn about opportunities to join our growing Canadian tech company here: https://www.payworks.ca/about-us/careers.