Weekly News Recap: May 8, 2020

Weekly News Recap: May 8, 2020

Josh Taylor, owner of Notorious Hair Salon, will be auctioning the few appointments for charity when the business reopens next week in Calgary. DARREN MAKOWICHUK/POSTMEDIA

Reality is nothing but a collective hunch. – Lily Tomlin

VITREO FUNDRAISING ASK ANYTHING ZOOM CHATS

We have hosted four Ask Anything* Zoom chats over the last few weeks. The feedback on these sessions has been tremendous. So much so that we are coming up on our third of a five-part series. Our next session is all about how to get your 100-day plan off the ground. And, we always have special guests. Registration is free. Seating is limited. Visit our Ask Anything page to see times and dates. Register today.

FUNDRAISING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

+ ViTreo's most recent podcast: Healthcare Philanthropy in the Time of Coronavirus. We were joined by Ken Mayhew, President & CEO at William Osler Health System Foundation; Jessica Veitch, Manager, Donor Recognition at Sinai Health Foundation; and Judy Neiser, CEO at Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation. It is a great episode.

+ ViTreo's most recent blog post: THE FUTURE OF PHILANTHROPY AND FUNDRAISING: CORONAVIRUS IMPACT — FUTURE PROOF YOUR NONPROFIT -- What’s changing, what’s next?

+ And an updated (as at May 8, 2020) set of resources: Fundraising In The Time Of COVID-19

+ AFP CALGARY PRESENTS ANDREA MCMANUS (AFP Calgary) CALGARY STORY "Our budget is toast, our case for support is off-base and our fundraising just fell off a cliff. What board members need to be thinking about and doing in a time of economic and societal crises. Whether your board was not fully functional before this or not… what is their role now?" Join Andrea online on May 11, from 11:30 a.m. - 1.:00 p.m. (MT). Register here

+ We are here to help. We are all in this together. If you would like to chat, reach out and schedule some time to talk. You can also call us at 403.210.3157 or, if this is still your thing, you can send us an e-mail. Stay safe. Stay sane.

SOME GOOD NEWS

  • SGN Graduation with Oprah, Steven Spielberg, Jon Stewart, and Malala (YouTube) Episode 6 does not disappoint. To all the grads. Congrats. To my grads, Allison Delamont graduating Grade 9 and Ethan Duckworth graduating Grade 12, I am so proud of you and all the grads. Your year is special. And even more so because of this time. Your time. "John Krasinski highlights some good news around the world (including weather from Ryan Reynolds) and sends the class of 2020 off with advice from Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Malala Yousafzai, and Jon Stewart. And thank you Samuel L. Jackson for the SGN dramatic re-enactment!"

  • A Man Who Raised Millions For Britain's Health System Had The Most Heartwarming 100th Birthday Celebration (Buzzfeed) We can't get enough of Col. (Hon.) Tom Moore. (Also, it is nice to see Buzzfeed spend time on a solid good news story). "For those who don't know, Captain Tom Moore is a national hero in the UK. A few weeks ago, he raised almost £30 million (more than $37 million) in support of the National Health Service by walking around his garden at the start of the coronavirus pandemic [...]. So, for his 100th birthday on April 30, the people of the UK really turned out. Hundreds of thousands of people sent cards, dozens of murals appeared around the country, and the Royal Air Force made a special appearance over Moore's house in Marston Moretaine, where he was celebrating with his family."

  • The Irish are sending relief to Native Americans, inspired by a donation from a tribe during the Great Famine (ABC) UPDATE: This appeal has now raised over $3 million. This is such a great story. "People in Ireland inspired by an act of generosity committed more than 170 years ago are paying it forward. In 1847, the Choctaw people collected $170 to send to people in Ireland who were starving during the potato famine. The struggles experienced by the Irish were familiar to the tribal nation: Just 16 years earlier, the Choctaw people had embarked on the Trail of Tears and lost thousands of their own to starvation and disease. Now, donations are pouring in from people across Ireland for a GoFundMe campaign set up to support the Navajo Nation and Hopi reservation during the coronavirus pandemic."

  • Inglewood hair salon auctions off first appointments for charity (Calgary Herald) CALGARY STORY What a great idea. Way to go Notorious Hair. Love it! "A Calgary hair salon planning to reopen during the first phase of Alberta’s relaunch is giving back in the process. Notorious Hair, a boutique in Inglewood, is placing its first four appointments — two haircuts and two colour and cuts — up for auction, with the proceeds donated to research in pediatric psychosocial oncology and survivorship at the University of Calgary."

  • Love letter to Calgary during COVID-19 ends on a high note for filmmaker (CBC) CALGARY STORY One of highlights of the lockdown. Thank you Eric! "He really just wanted to say 'thanks' and 'hang in there' to his fellow Calgarians under seemingly endless restrictions from a global pandemic, and lots of people love what he came up with. 'I wanted to — in my small token of appreciation — show my gratitude to everyone heeding the advice of our health experts,' Eric González told CBC News."

  • New Heritage Minute tells story of life-long love, sparked in aftermath of occupation of the Netherlands (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Powerful. And a lovely remembrance of Canada's special relationship with Holland. "It's a beautiful story of a life-long love — one that sprouted from the ashes of the German occupation of the Netherlands. It's the tale of a Canadian man who fought to liberate Europe, and a Dutch woman in Amsterdam who happily welcomed the Canadian soldiers. It's a symbol of the special 75-year relationship Canada and the Netherlands have shared since the liberation."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. The first steps on Alberta's path to economic relaunch (CBC) ALBERTA STORY I know more than a few ViTreo team members who are VERY happy that the golf courses are open. "Alberta took its first strides toward the large-scale resumption of public life under COVID-19 this weekend as provincial parks and golf courses opened under the government's phased economic relaunch. Tee times sold out in 13 minutes at The Ranch Golf and Country Club. The course says its online booking system crashed from the wave of eager Edmonton golfers longing for a chance to hit the fairways [...]."

  2. Shopify surges past Royal Bank for title of most valuable company in Canada (CBC) CANADIAN STORY "Shopify's shares have been one of the few successes on the Toronto Stock Exchange of late, with the value of the company more than doubling since the start of April. Shares in the company gained almost seven per cent on the TSX [...] to close at $1,034 a share. At that price, the company is worth just over $121 billion. That's enough to make Shopify the most valuable company in Canada, just ahead of the Royal Bank of Canada, which inched down 26 cents [...] to close at $84.62 a share, for a total stock market value of $120.4 billion."

  3. Busy like Christmas: What it's like delivering mail during the pandemic (CBC) CANADIAN STORY "The surge in online shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic is putting more pressure on postal workers across the country. In a recent news release, Canada Post told customers to expect delays with parcel deliveries as the increased volume and safety measures to prevent the spread of the illness are slowing things down."

  4. AFP ICON VIRTUAL: An Interview With Kay Sprinkel Grace (AFP Global) I am so happy they put this up. What an interview! What a human! Thanks to too Kay and Alice for this. #Exceptional. "Kay Sprinkel Grace, FAFP, is an author, international speaker, mentor and longtime fundraiser whose name is synonymous with philanthropy. She’s also our 2020 Outstanding Fundraising Professional! In this video, she discusses what she sees for organizations moving forward, basic standards for organizations to be successful and more during her AFP ICON VIRTUAL interview."

  5. Cheerios recognizes Airdrie Food Bank executive director as 'frontline hero' (Calgary Herald) AIRDRIE STORY Lori, this is awesome. And, you are a hero. Thank you! "Lori McRitchie does not consider herself a hero. But during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the executive director of the Airdrie Food Bank and her team have helped countless individuals and families in a time of need — which is a heroic effort worth recognizing, according to General Mills Canada."

  6. University of Calgary breaks ground on $64m Haskayne Capital Expansion project (World Construction Network) CALGARY STORY Nice work UofC. "The two-year project involves the construction of new four-storey 10,000m2 Mathison Hall building as well as renovations to Scurfield Hall. The buildings will combine to become a new home for the Haskayne School of Business. Slated for completion in September 2022, the project will add a dozen new classrooms to the business school as well as new spaces for study, group work, student advising, food services and events."

  7. 'Badass' astronauts ready for historic test launch to space station taking precautions amid pandemic (CBC) This is a brave and renewed direction for NASA. And one I welcome. Godspeed Col. Behnken and Col. Hurley. "NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are ready to make history as they prepare to become the first two Americans to launch from U.S. soil since 2011. Behnken and Hurley are scheduled to launch from the Kennedy Space Center at 4:32 p.m. ET on May 27 atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in a Crew Dragon capsule in the Demo-2 mission."

  8. COVID-19 wipes out demand for fossil fuels — will they bounce back? (CBC) CANADIAN STORY "The outbreak of COVID-19 is wiping out demand for fossil fuels as part of the most severe plunge in energy consumption since the Second World War and is on pace to trigger multi-decade lows for the world's consumption of oil, gas and coal [...]. Many people who have been able to work from home during the pandemic realize it could make sense permanently. Without having to commute to the office everyday, it can be much more convenient, especially when kids are back in school or daycare. Keeping more workers at home is also appealing to many companies because of the potential cost savings with less office space requirements and the ability to have a deeper labour pool, among other benefits."

  9. How COVID-19 could change the way cities look and operate after the lockdowns (CBC) So many changes. I wonder how many will stick. "While some cities have eased lockdown restrictions, physical distancing measures that health officials say are crucial to halting the spread of COVID-19 will likely be with us for months, if not longer. They are already having an effect on activity levels and the flow of cities, and planners, architects and designers are seeing changes both in Canada and around the world that could become permanent."

  10. Air Canada anticipates return of worldwide air travel by Christmas (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Get ready to mourn the loss of direct flights. "An Air Canada vice president suggests that by the time winter holidays roll around again, Canadians will be able to board his company's planes and fly almost anywhere in the world. But Tim Strauss said he knows that one of the biggest tasks involved in bringing air travel back to life after pandemic restrictions lift will be convincing the public it's safe to fly."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. 5 Inspiring Antidotes For Coronavirus Fear And Negativity (Forbes) My favourite: serendipity. I have had my share during this time.

  2. 13 places to find Beautiful Free Illustrations (Prototypr.io) We could all use more illustrations. Am I right?

  3. 9 Things You Should Do When You Wake Up (Mind Cafe) #7 and #8 are great. #9 is the best.

  4. Are We Living in a Computer Simulation? (Pocket) As crazy as it seem, there are some pretty high-profile (and smart) people who think we might be.

  5. Inside the heartwarming world of Hot Wheels collecting (SB Nation) I loved (and still love) these little cars. Turns out, so do hundreds of thousands of others.

  6. How long can a cavity wait? And other questions about routine procedures in COVID-19 limbo (CBC) CANADIAN STORY SPOILER: They don't tell you. But it is still a good article. And, I was wondering...for a friend...

  7. The Rise of The Nudge Unit (Goods and Services) Leaving aside the "1984"ness of nudge theory, I do love how it can be applied for good.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. CP donates $1 million to four North American charities providing critical supplies and relief in the COVID-19 battle (Yahoo Finance) CANADIAN CONTENT "Canadian Pacific is donating $1 million to four North American charities working on the front lines to help people impacted by COVID-19. In Canada, CP will donate C$350,000 to The Frontline Fund and C$250,000 to Food Banks Canada. In the U.S., CP will donate US$250,000 to Feeding America and up to US$150,000 in matching funds to the American Red Cross."

  2. Amazon Canada Commits CAD $3 Million to Support Those Affected by COVID-19 (iPhoneInCanada) "Alongside its relief donations, Amazon has also created a $1.5 million fund to support local organizations in the communities where its employees live and work. Amazon Canada currently employs more than 10,000 people across the country."

  3. Kellogg Donates Over $10 Million to COVID-19 Hunger Relief (CStore Decisions) "Through its global Kellogg’s® Better Days purpose platform, Kellogg and its charitable funds have now donated more than $10 million in food and funds to global COVID-19 hunger relief efforts."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

Welcome to our recap of the week's news, articles, and information of note. ViTreo Group Inc. provides this information for the benefit of our clients, associates, staff, partners, and stakeholders. The content is collected and curated by ViTreo partner Vincent Duckworth. If you would like to submit a link for consideration, please send an email to info@vitreogroup.ca

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