Spirited and creative giving

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: From left, St. Jospeh’s Health Care London’s Director of Environmental Services Don Janzen was full of animation during his turn taking on the ‘Pie in the Face’ challenge beside Rikin Patel, systems consultant. This special event was part of the leader challenge, where leaders set goals for their teams to increase employee participation in Share the Spirit.

By Courtney Morgan

Singing, dancing, dressing up, stair climbing and taking pies to the face were all highlights during this year’s Share the Spirit campaign at St. Joseph’s Health Care London (St. Joseph’s).

Share the Spirit is St. Joseph’s annual employee and physician giving campaign in support of the health and well-being of the community, including those served by St. Joseph’s and the United Way Elgin Middlesex. Through almost a decade of fundraising, these two organizations have been able to advocate and care for those in our community who are vulnerable and without a voice.

While a large part of the campaign is about giving back to the community, the other part is about staff engagement. The events held throughout the campaign provide an opportunity to play games, enjoy food, interact with one another and most importantly join in to share the spirit.

Share the Spirit kicked off with a pizza party to get people excited and spread the message about why it’s important to give back. The spirit to give continued through the month at a special breakfast event and at the United Way StairClimb, where participants dared to take on the stairs at One London Place – climbing to the top of London, Ontario’s tallest commercial building.

“As the new Share the Spirit Co-Chair, I feel fortunate to be able to witness such enthusiasm and camaraderie,” remarks Laura Dockstader, Communication and Public Affairs Coordinator. “At the breakfast event, I was particularly impressed when some individuals chose to pay it forward by purchasing a breakfast ticket for someone who couldn’t afford a ticket – true moments of the St. Joseph’s mission in action.”

Many leaders also set challenge goals for their teams. If the team was successful, leaders stepped up by either taking a pie to the face, singing karaoke, getting a spray tan, dressing in costume, dying their hair or other fun rewards for their team’s participation.

“Staff and physicians took the events to the next level for the campaign this year,” says David Ross, Share the Spirit Co-Chair and St. Joseph’s Director of Finance. “I continue to be impressed that each year, the campaign is met with even more energy and passion than the last.”

Courtney Morgan is a Communication Assistant at St. Joseph’s Health Care London.