Showing posts with label YMCA "World Peace Week". Show all posts
Showing posts with label YMCA "World Peace Week". Show all posts

Monday, April 21, 2008

Strategic Planning -- A GREAT! Weekend


On Saturday the 19th, 35 members of CAMTA gathered under the guidance of Ms. Janet Emmett, facilitator to plan the future of our organization. On the 20th, the process continued but with the executive plus Luis Piedrahita and Fern Cannon.

CAMTA has existed now for seven years. It was timely to review our past and determine our future, collectively as members. The future of CAMTA is in passing on the skills and knowledge accumulated over the prior years and the multiple orthopedic missions to new volunteers. The need to enhance education in Ecuador and develop new skills and experience in fundraising and business management in Canada were a couple of the themes that were presented in the course of the day. This week, Janet Emmett will consolidate the posterboard notes into a document that the executive can present to the membership, later in the spring.





Dr. Luis Piedrahita flew up from Tucson, Arizona to participate.

He is an Ecuadorean. Our charity must continue to be sensitive to the needs of Ecuadoreans.






Here, Dr. Marc Moreau, the President of CAMTA presents the results of his small group's work.



During a break, Fern Cannon, Mathew Moreau and Doris Kent talked in the hallway. In the background are the photoboards of past medical school graduates. Fern is an Ecuadorean and she has participated with CAMTA since it's inception in 2001. Fern flew in from Katy, Texas.
The weather was TERRIBLE! It snowed the WHOLE WEEKEND!


Over lunch Linda Ushkowski, Adam Petriw, Aline Young (back row) and Cecilia Tardif, Fern Cannon, Cori Kalven and Kathleen Shearer talk.




And here's Al Tardif, John McIvor, Erin Ennis and Carol Maynard. The retreat participants are all active CAMTA members. The turnout was large -- over 50 percent of the Edmonton membership.




In the early afternoon, small group sessions reconvened. Here Carol and Eileen consult over their idea of the future vision of our organization.



And over in the other corner of the room, Andriy Rodyniuk, anesthesiologist and Bethany Lewis, Clinical Nurse Educator and adult orthopedic ward nurse, complete their small group work.

The day got very exciting when everybody was issued orange and green dots to place on the priorities of their choice for CAMTA. It was amazing how a few items got most of the dots. I guess we were in agreement!


It's 4:20PM and nobody is sleeping! Ms. Janet Emmett stirs the group to a great high!

And finally at about 1730h the day wound-up. Here I present Janet with three beautiful Ecuadorean scarves. She liked them - because she wore them home when we dropped her at the airport Sunday afternoon.


Thanks to Janet for her expert facilitation! The results: STAY TUNED. It'll get posted here!

John


Sunday, November 25, 2007

Edmonton YMCA Peace Medal

Hi Everyone,

Yesterday there was a big event for CAMTA. Eileen and I were awarded a YMCA Peace Medallion for our work with CAMTA.

The ceremony was held at the new Don Wheaton Family YMCA which just opened this week in downtown Edmonton. It was the grand opening celebration yesterday and at 1PM the official proceedings happened in the gymnasium of the new Y whilst prospective members and old members alike toured the building.

I have been doing volunteer work for a long time with the YMCA here in Edmonton. And Eileen and I have also been doing volunteer work with CAMTA since it's inception. Eileen is the lead pediatric operating room nurse.

And yesterday there was a conjunction between my two lines of volunteer activity. It was truly an honour!

Eileen and I were nominated by Jadeene Wheaton, Joleen Schmitt and Edie Dixon. Jadeene is a fellow volunteer at the Y and Joleen and Edie are staff members at the Jamie Platz YMCA where Eileen and I are members.

I explained to Joleen when she called and asked if we would accept a nomination that we are only two members of a very large team of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, anesthesia technicians, lay people, students and translators. No two people can accomplish what we as a team accomplish together in Ecuador!

Joleen wished to nominate the two members of CAMTA that she knows through her work at the YMCA! The program for the event described very well the work of our team! It was great PR for CAMTA!

Each year, every YMCA in Canada can recognize individuals with a Peace Medallion for volunteer work that helps improve the circumstance of others. Here's a link describing a little bit more about World Peace Week at the YMCA:
http://www.ymca.ca/eng_ycdaresources.htm#Res3


I have uploaded some photos of the event to a flickr website:
http://www.flickr.com/gp/21129946@N05/A63Cu8

Eileen and I invite every member of CAMTA to celebrate the success of our team's work in Ecuador!

John and Eileen