Healthy Communities • YMCA Volunteers
The Remarkable Impact of Corporate Volunteering at YMCA’s Cedar Glen
26 June 2018 - by YMCA of Greater Toronto
By Aloha Cruz
Wednesday, June 6 was a chilly morning, but I felt warmer when I was greeted by the smiling faces of over 150 volunteers from Tangerine who, for the sixth year in a row, brought their energy and enthusiasm to YMCA Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre.
We began the day with a welcome from camp staff in the Amphitheatre that Tangerine employees built in the summer of 2016. This is one of many projects the Tangerine team has participated in, and later this year, their hard work will allow Cedar Glen to open another exciting new space: the YMCA’s first outdoor classroom, which will provide a unique learning experience for students, campers, and adults by blending personal growth with the natural world.
Apart from working on the outdoor classroom, volunteers helped maintain the outdoor maze, planted vegetables at the organic farm, laid drip tape irrigation, and split wood to restock Cedar Glen’s fire pits.
According to Brandon McClounie, General Manager of Cedar Glen, groups of this size accomplish in a single day what would take his small staff team 6 or 7 weeks to do. “The impact for us is huge,” he explains. “It allows for us to get set up so that when schools and campers arrive, YMCA camp staff can focus on getting to know campers and building their self-confidence. With volunteer groups coming out, we can get our programs to the caliber that they need to be.”
At Cedar Glen, children and youth learn in an outdoor environment and gain self-confidence, leadership skills and long-lasting friendships. I was very inspired to see other organizations partnering with the YMCA to help us invest in the development of our next generation. Alongside Tangerine, Vaughan Painting Services volunteered to lead groups in staining lodges, while Ontario Streams led volunteers in planting 400 trees along cold creek river.
Shveta, a Tangerine employee and first-time volunteer at Cedar Glen, says she’s proud to work for an organization that would “walk the walk when it comes to commitment to the community,” and that corporate volunteering made her feel more committed to the organization and motivated her to want to stay there longer and work harder. “Volunteering affects me really positively,” Shveta says. “It’s also a lot of fun!”
Tangerine is one of many corporate partners we’ve had the privilege of working with at Cedar Glen and at other YMCA locations throughout the GTA. With the help of groups of volunteers, we are able to make our communities home to the healthiest children, teens, and young adults. If your team is looking for a challenging and rewarding experience, please contact us at volunteering@ymcagta.org.
Wednesday, June 6 was a chilly morning, but I felt warmer when I was greeted by the smiling faces of over 150 volunteers from Tangerine who, for the sixth year in a row, brought their energy and enthusiasm to YMCA Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre.
We began the day with a welcome from camp staff in the Amphitheatre that Tangerine employees built in the summer of 2016. This is one of many projects the Tangerine team has participated in, and later this year, their hard work will allow Cedar Glen to open another exciting new space: the YMCA’s first outdoor classroom, which will provide a unique learning experience for students, campers, and adults by blending personal growth with the natural world.
Apart from working on the outdoor classroom, volunteers helped maintain the outdoor maze, planted vegetables at the organic farm, laid drip tape irrigation, and split wood to restock Cedar Glen’s fire pits.
According to Brandon McClounie, General Manager of Cedar Glen, groups of this size accomplish in a single day what would take his small staff team 6 or 7 weeks to do. “The impact for us is huge,” he explains. “It allows for us to get set up so that when schools and campers arrive, YMCA camp staff can focus on getting to know campers and building their self-confidence. With volunteer groups coming out, we can get our programs to the caliber that they need to be.”
At Cedar Glen, children and youth learn in an outdoor environment and gain self-confidence, leadership skills and long-lasting friendships. I was very inspired to see other organizations partnering with the YMCA to help us invest in the development of our next generation. Alongside Tangerine, Vaughan Painting Services volunteered to lead groups in staining lodges, while Ontario Streams led volunteers in planting 400 trees along cold creek river.
Shveta, a Tangerine employee and first-time volunteer at Cedar Glen, says she’s proud to work for an organization that would “walk the walk when it comes to commitment to the community,” and that corporate volunteering made her feel more committed to the organization and motivated her to want to stay there longer and work harder. “Volunteering affects me really positively,” Shveta says. “It’s also a lot of fun!”
Tangerine is one of many corporate partners we’ve had the privilege of working with at Cedar Glen and at other YMCA locations throughout the GTA. With the help of groups of volunteers, we are able to make our communities home to the healthiest children, teens, and young adults. If your team is looking for a challenging and rewarding experience, please contact us at volunteering@ymcagta.org.
