When Laurie and I first came to Collingwood, we had very few acquaintances or friends in the community, which gave us the time to concentrate on our business of Renovations, Additions, and Building new homes. As we all know, new business ventures take an enormous amount of effort to be successful so filling your daily hours was not a problem.

Collingwood Community

For the first few months we worked as hard as we could and life was moving forward, but we were constantly looking for ways that we could become more involved in the Collingwood community, and give back to this beautiful place that we now lived in.

Then one day we were approached by a new friend who was volunteering to raise funds for a women’s shelter. She wasn’t necessarily looking for donations but wanted to make us aware that this shelter was something that our community required and that not having it would mean that a lot of women and children would continue to live in fear, without having a safe place to turn to in their time of need.

Supporting the Our Community

We didn’t hesitate to offer our support and bought an advertising package for their next event which happened to be a tour of the three microbreweries in the Collingwood area. We also were able to participate in this event (an incredibly fun time) where we met some fascinating people including another volunteer that was raising money for the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital.

As it turns out, we had to make a trip to this hospital for some damage I did to one of my fingers during a move to our new home. Small scale when you consider the issues that every other person that walks through the emergency room door has. So we bought another advertising package for the hospital fundraiser, a Polar Bear Dip, which placed me on the team to take the plunge in the Collingwood Harbor, after they chainsaw a hole in the ice. Hmmm. Maybe should have thought this one through…

Next, we offered to help the local theatre remove an old mezzanine from their practice facility. Seems pretty easy, but the gratitude we received was incredible. They gave us a one year advertising package and seats to their gala performances.

The final part of this particular story is about a lighthouse. In the Collingwood Bay stands one of the few remaining lighthouses on the Great Lakes. We met a friend of the lighthouse who asked if we could donate a few materials to the preservation of it. I thought it would be neat to see this structure up close so I volunteered to help with the work. Apparently the only access is over the frozen bay, so in the middle of March, I will join a team of volunteers to trek across the ice to assist with the preservation process.

These organizations are so grateful for your donations that they will gladly promote your business name and what you do throughout their networks. Volunteering in your community builds your company profile and your confidence within the community, but the biggest part is the feeling you get within your heart.