Why Giving Back is so Important

November has been a busy month for me. On top of growing FanSaves and running our (free) FanSaves Innovation Project, every Tuesday in Pembroke, Ontario (two and a half hours from home), I was also involved in two very special community fundraisers.

Giving back to my community is so important to me, not only because I love helping out whenever I can but also because so many charities, foundations and organizations rely heavily on fundraisers to help them meet their targets and goals for the year.

On Friday, November 1st, the 7th Annual Crafting a Cure fundraiser in support of JDRF took place and raised $23,000. Being on the planning committee and seeing it all come together never gets old. The event featured samples of craft beer from across Ontario and beyond and on top of being a good time it was for a good cause.

Now, I don't have any real ties to JDRF but I do know that it affects so many families and kids well into adulthood. I was happy to get involved and join the committee when the event almost didn't continue after the 2017 event. I thought it was important to keep such a fun community fundraiser alive and so for the past two years, this is where I've spent my first Friday of November.

The following Saturday, on November 9th, I got back in front of the camera as one of the hosts of the 11th Annual Cornwall Hospice Telethon. This was my third year in a row hosting and it's always so special to see all the people in the community coming together to help keep Hospice running. This year, we raised over $150,000 which is simply amazing and a great feat for a city the size of Cornwall.

All that to say that giving back to my community not only makes me feel good but also reminds me how strong community can be when people share a common goal. Too many times, we're all working so hard on our own things, heads down and blinders on, immersed in growing our businesses or being better at our jobs. What I've noticed though, is that when we take those blinders off and step up as a collective, not only do we get to make a difference but our overall quality if life and happiness improves.

Some people might think they don't have time to give back but the reasons I feel it's so important is the perspective that you gain, the people that you meet and the clarity you receive. Knowing that people are going through much harder times than I am and that these fundraisers depend on money we're helping to raise helps me see that as important as my business and work life are that nothing is more important than life itself. So, if you ever get the chance to give back to your community, even if it's just a small role, please do so. The people you help with thank you but you'll also thank yourself!