On September 16, Ecotrust staffers Wanda Spooner and Jayme Nelson accompanied a group of 22 employees of Ecotrust Partner Devon Canada for a day of grit and glory on the trails of Kananaskis Country. The intent of the mission was to connect Devon employees with work that Alberta Ecotrust is funding in the community. Thanks to the cooperation and coordination of Friends of Kananaskis Country Executive Director Nicholas Dotchin and his team of trail blazing volunteer coordinators, the day was a good one for participants and trails alike.
On the bus ride to West Bragg Creek, participants learned about Alberta Ecotrust programs and projects and were entertained and rewarded for their environmental stewardship knowledge. At the trail head, the volunteers were welcomed by sunny skies, fresh mountain air and their trail bosses, who oriented them to the day's work and talked about working safely in the bush. Once outfitted with gloves, picks and rakes, the crew tackled the day's work with one group clearing brush and another levelling ground. Working together for some five hours, the group made a significant dent in the Friends' long list of new trails to develop.
Celine Beland, Devon's environment assistant, reported the work was demanding but rewarding. "This was one of the most rigorous and refreshing volunteer projects I have attended," she said. "I truly enjoyed getting my hands dirty and seeing the difference one team can make in a short amount of time."
Earlier this year, The Friends of Kananaskis Country Cooperating Association received a $7,500 grant from Alberta Ecotrust towards their Volunteer Wildlife Ambassador Program, a project designed to address the balance of living and recreating in wildlife corridors with the needs of a healthy, viable ecosystem."It's great to see where our corporate contributions are going," said participant Frank Castillo, an exploitation technologist with Devon. "I'm glad to see that wilderness preservation is important to Devon because it certainly is to me."
We congratulate Devon for its ongoing efforts to connect its employees with the community and environment work it funds. To explore similar opportunities to connect your employees to the people and initiatives your donation to Alberta Ecotrust supports, contact Wanda Spooner, Partner Development Manager.
