Volunteers Out in Full Force

Written by Rachel Baldacchino, Senior Marketing Communications Specialist, Allstate Insurance, IABC/Toronto member and volunteer

Fun, food and friendly faces. What a great way to start the evening of October 7th, IABC/Toronto’s annual volunteer recruitment event. The event held at Oliver & Bonacini Café Grill brought out volunteers in full force.

The evening began with a warm welcome from President, Carrie MacAfee and Marie Fitzpatrick-Hall, ABC, Vice-President Volunteer Services who welcomed both returning and new volunteers.

Tables were set up with IABC/Toronto executive board members according to their portfolios in “speed dating” style. Volunteers were encouraged to visit and engage with the board members to find out more about the various volunteer opportunities available.

Sometimes these events can be a little intimidating. Not having attended any previous volunteer events and not having met any of the Board members, I was a bit apprehensive. But, a fun activity was just what the crowd needed to break the ice. As volunteers entered the room, a sticker with the name of someone famous was placed on their back. This encouraged us to mingle with other communicators, nibble on some tasty treats and ask questions to guess our famous identity. It took a few tries, but I finally I guessed mine – I suppose you can call me “Dr. Seuss” if you wish.

We quickly started to make the rounds, approaching the various board members about the available volunteer opportunities. The board members were all so eager and approachable and I quickly saw that this evening was of great importance to them. Volunteers are vital to making not only IABC/Toronto’s year-round events successful, but helping to ensure we have enough support.

It was great to witness first-hand the enthusiasm of both the volunteers and board members and I look forward to making a contribution to the chapter. Volunteers are just that – individuals who donate their time when they can. And no contribution is too small.

It was a very successful night and new volunteers like Leslie Barber echoed these sentiments. “I want to be involved with the Toronto chapter so I can maximize my network and to keep doing what I really love. This event seemed like the ideal way to go about it. There were lots of opportunities to talk with people involved in the different areas of the chapter as well as make contact with other industry professionals.”

We’d also like to thank the event’s sponsor, Freeman Communications, IABC/Toronto’s official and exclusive sponsor of the 2010 Volunteer Recruitment and Recognition events.

Freeman Communications

Bert Freeman is the president and creative director at Freeman Communications, a graphic design and management agency located in downtown Toronto.

Freeman Communications is also the creator of the “WOW” Program, which helps their clients bring the “WOW” experience to their communication strategies.

With over 25 years experience in corporate communications, they have worked in many business sectors such as Financial Services, Health Care, Hospitality, IT, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, Mining, Pharmaceutical, Government and Not-for-Profit Associations.

Freeman Communications’ team of senior designers and project managers work closely with their clients to create strategic communications excellence while managing cost-effective production.

IABC/Toronto official and exclusive sponsor of the 2010 Volunteer Recruitment and Recognition Events & the Mentor of the Year Award

Left to Right: Bert Freeman, president and creative director, Freeman Communications; Carrie MacAfee, president, IABC/Toronto