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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, October 3, 2013 | 6 Spotlight "Connected to your Community" Canadian Tire Financial gets down to work by Scott Stewart Oakville Beaver Staff Clockwise from top left, Dave Duffus applies adhesive to stonework during the Canadian Tire Financial Services' leadership team's volunteer renovation day held last Thursday at local non-pro t organization, Central West Specialized Developmental Services. Mike Daniel hauls weeds and clippings to the curb. Mark Merritt and Blair Campbell help erect a gazebo on the site and Tracy Daniel works on the construction of a new path. The day saw more than 100 leadership team employees from the company, donate more than 600 hours of work with approximately $70,000 worth of donated supplies. Canadian Tire Financial Services (CTFS) executives swapped their suits and smartphones for work boots and tools so that individuals with developmental disabilities in Oakville can have a better life. More than 100 members of the leadership team have put in a combined 600 hours of work and made use of more than $70,000 worth of donated supplies and materials in renovating the Central West Specialized Development Services (CWSDS) facility at 53 Bond St. The facility's mandate is to develop services for individuals with developmental disabilities in Ontario's Central West region, including occupational therapy, psychiatric services, psychological services and social work. CWSDS works closely with, and is funded by, the Ministry of Children and Youth Services and the Ministry of Community and Social Services. "The hard work and generosity of CTFS and all the volunteers working here today is overwhelming and deeply appreciated," CWSDS executive director James Duncan said. "This provides for a wonderful and positive environment for the people that we support." All their hard work yielded results: a gazebo and shed were built, a new pathway was laid and landscaping was done on the outside. Paint was applied and cabinets were re nished inside the building. Blair Campbell is one of the executives who crunched gravel instead of numbers as a volunteer. The CTFS associate vice-president of marketing operations and analytics, spent the day going up and down a ladder and moving wheelbarrows full of stone and dirt. At day's end, he was tired and sore, and he wouldn't have it any other way. "It is incredibly impactful to meet the residents of the facility and to hear and see the challenges these people face," he said. "Any small way that we can improve their lives feels great." CTFS has given back to the community with this initiative for the past 13 years and Campbell has participated since day one. "These events really highlight how very fortunate we are and remind us of our responsibility to give back to the community and to those less fortunate," he added. "It truly is a blessing to have the opportunity to do this work every year." Teresa Cugliari, communications adviser, corporate communications for Canadian Tire Corp., said a team from CTFS meets with the non-pro t chosen to receive the upgrades to discuss their needs and whether the requests are feasible. "Activities vary year by year. They're based on the needs of the non-pro t," she said. Dave Duffus, manager of disaster recovery transition services at Canadian Tire, like Campbell, has been there since the beginning. "It's important to support charities, and this is a unique way to do it. You're making a very visible difference to a group that has been careful selected for how it impacts the whole community ," he said. Duffus was part of the landscaping crew , constructing raised gardens at six locations on the grounds. "The work we did had to be practical for our skill level," Duffus said. | photos by Nikki Wesley ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @ halton_photog) Volume 51 | Number 118 467 Speers Road, Oakville ON (905) 845-3824 Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. NEIL OLIVER Vice ­President and Group Publisher DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Halton Region Editor in Chief Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Advertising Department (905) 845-3824 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4444 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 DANIEL BAIRD Director of Advertising ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor