Distinguished Speaker - Vancouver Board of Trade

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spirit of giving Give back by donating work skills Robert Dave Roels of Dave Roels Photography, portrait and conference photographerin-residence for The Vancouver Board of Trade, is the perfect example of someone who has worked out how to donate his work skills for a good cause. Roels has volunteered at Club Freedom, which feeds 150 people every Sunday, for the last 18 months and soon came up with the idea of shooting stunning portrait photos to compile slide shows used by the organization to tell its story and share Club Freedom’s work with businesses and potential donors in a compelling and meaningful way. “My work there is not much different to what I do every day,” Roels says. “I shoot people at tables and speakers at The Vancouver Board of Trade, and I do the same at Club Freedom. I always explain that to everyone there – they are always interested in what I do when I photograph them.” Roels has offered his services as a volunteer for over 21 years, including visiting inmates in federal and provincial prisons. “Many of the people at Club Freedom have been in and out of jail and are trying to rebuild their lives, so it seemed a natural fit with my other volunteering,” he says. Club Freedom grew from the simple action of just one couple who, after a Sunday morning church service, decided to encourage one man who had no job, no friends and no place to live, by asking him to have lunch with them. After that one encounter, more people were invited to join their group each week. Over time, they outgrew their initial restaurant venue and subsequent meeting places and moved into their current location, a renovated warehouse in East Vancouver, which gave them the ability to encourage and meet the needs of 150 people each week. Club Freedom is now a weekly gathering of individuals and families ranging from the working poor to the homeless and those living with mental health issues. Some guests who attend live with drug or alcohol addiction and some are currently in recovery overcoming their addiction. At the renovated warehouse, Club Freedom offers every guest a place to belong, a safe environment and a place to find healthy relationships and loving support. Every Sunday the organization provides a high quality, nourishing, hot meal, complete with dessert, for 150 guests, serving 7,800 meals a year. The food for each meal is purchased weekly through generous donations covering the costs of more than $3,000 a month to feed the 150 people each week. “Prior to the meal, guests are uplifted through inspirational Christian worship and dynamic yet practical biblical teaching. Guests are always encouraged, throughout the service, to receive prayer and counsel. Then throughout the week, through Club Freedom, I will meet with individuals seeking life coaching, spiritual direction, Brenda affordable housing, employment and addiction recovery,” says Chaplain Jeremiah Touchbourne. “Club Freedom takes the whole health of an individual into consideration and seeks to support anyone who is looking to experience positive life change. A meal served with love and encouragement is sometimes all that is needed to give a person hope and inspiration to make better life choices,” Touchbourne says. “Through building healthy relationships and supplying guests with a meal and love each week, Club Freedom has seen people freed from addiction, overcome poverty and experience freedom in many other areas of their lives. “Every individual is important and Club Freedom offers a place of instant acceptance with an opportunity for all to experience freedom and abundant life by finding God and support from others.“ See www.broadwaychurch.com for more information. Glen Thank You Members of the Board of Trade “Giving Children Abilities” Easter Seals Houses Easter Seals Camps Easter Seals Buses Patient Care Grants Ralph For your donations and participation in events which support BC’s children with disabilities www.lionsbc.ca Bruce Tracey 18 Sounding Board/November-December 2010 The Vancouver Board of Trade/Spirit of Enterprise ®
Anything but conventional: Vancouver Convention Centre’s art project member news tells the fascinating story about how a diverse The art project is anchored by 16 major group of pioneers, risk-takers, innovators commissioned artworks installed both inside and workers built the province of British and outside the facility, including Douglas Columbia. Coupland’s “Digital Orca” sitting on Jack “We strive to make every experience for Poole Plaza and Jaakko Pernu’s “Floats” made our guests both memorable and inspirational,” says Ken Cretney, general manager of rests on traditional Coast Salish territory, a from pine beetle infested wood. As the facility the Vancouver Convention Centre. “We’re very selection of the artwork was created by B.C. proud of our thematic art program, which has Coast Salish artists and pays tribute to the been very well received by those who visit the history of the site. facility. It further enhances the overall experience of our guests.” tive story panels outside meetings rooms The art project also features 65 interpre- The Leaders volunteerism, LOT supports young people’s progression from student to working life. During the 2009-10 LOT year, students and of Tomorrow, mentors met regularly, learned from dozens of business leaders, attended more than 600 today... networking events, and contributed more than 7,000 volunteer hours to the community. By Austin Nairn The September graduation ceremony offered all program participants and supporters an Fall marks the completion of another year opportunity to reflect on the past year and with The Vancouver Board of Trade’s recognize several outstanding contributors. Leaders of Tomorrow Mentorship Program Ray Williams and Yvonne Lee received (LOT) and the beginning of another. During Mentor and Mentee of the Year honours for far the past twelve years LOT has seen more exceeding the program requirements while than 1,400 students and 600 mentors participate, making it one of the most highly Committee Member of the Year awards for several exceptional LOT students received recognized student mentorship programs their impressive volunteer efforts. in British Columbia. Based on the pillars While the 2010-11 LOT year has just of mentorship, leadership, networking and begun, the enthusiasm and excitement has CONFERENCE DETAILS AT: www.bchrma.org/conf2011 APRIL 14-15, 2011 Kevin O’Leary & Douglas Merrill Could your business use some decluttering this spring? The kind that helps you increase revenues, receive consistently glowing client reviews, and empower your employees to think creatively and constructively? If so, join us April 14-15, 2011 for a power-packed event focused on getting you—and your business—back to basics! PLENARY SPEAKERS INCLUDE: Kevin O’Leary: entrepreneurial giant and star of the TV hits, Shark Tank and Dragons’ Den. This confident, savvy deal-maker has a fascinating past in which he has made millions helping children learn how to read. Douglas Merrill: Google’s former Chief Information Officer. Merrill was instrumental in championing innovation from the company’s earliest Internet start-up days and guided its transformation into one of the world’s most admired organizations. **EARLYBIRD BONUS** Register by February 11th & save $200! 19 Sounding Board/November-December 2010 The Vancouver Board of Trade/Spirit of Enterprise ® Douglas Coupland’s Digital Orca is a notable art installation on Vancouver’s waterfront and part of the Vancouver Convention Centre’s thematic art gallery telling the story of British Columbia. By Jinny Wu Ballrooms, exhibition halls, pre-function spaces and meeting rooms. These are things you typically see in a convention centre, but would you also expect to find a thoughtprovoking, thematic art gallery? The Vancouver Convention Centre’s west building features a collection of permanent artwork and story panels by local and international artists. Collectively, the artwork How did I simplify? “Better managing employee well-being also helped me improve my bottom line.” Jo Hess, Retail Owner How have you Photo courtesy Vancouver Convention Centre Tell us how YOU have tamed a complex issue and have the chance to WIN a full two-day conference pass! To enter, visit: www.bchrma.org/conf2011 and along the exterior seawall that showcase significant events in the province’s history and the people behind them. A BC Artists Gallery also features 14 major historic and contemporary B.C. artists who have addressed the province’s landscape in their work. Local residents and visitors can get a glimpse of the art installations by taking part in the convention centre’s Public Tour Program, offered on select days throughout the year. For more information, visit www.vancouverconventioncentre.com/artproject. been outstanding. The October orientation evening offered an overview of the program and an opportunity for students and mentors to meet for the first time. With more than 170 students and mentors participating, eight post-secondary schools represented and a highly diverse group of company leaders acting as mentors, this year promises to be another success. Leaders of Tomorrow is a program of The Vancouver Board of Trade and is made possible with the generous support of several key business and academic partners. More details about LOT, and the organizations that make it possible, is available at www.leadersoftomorrow.com. Austin Nairn is the program manager for The Board’s Leaders of Tomorrow program and Company of Young Professionals.
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Distinguished Speaker - Vancouver Board of Trade

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