Denver, CO
In May, the InteraWorks team took their remote team status to the next level by completing May Community Service Day together. Team members from across the US and other parts of the globe united to serve their local communities, learning through the act of giving. They discovered countless ways to support the health of our local communities and the environment. Moreover, they realized that taking time to serve enhanced their lives and did not at all detract from their ability to support teammates and clients. Facilitation & Relationship Lead Joel Sutliff, was particularly inspired by the “collective intention to contribute in a positive way as a means to live into our own mission, vision, and values.”
InteraWorks, with its entirely remote and flexible work culture, naturally adopted a remote and flexible approach to community service day as well. Team members chose whether, how, when, and where to serve. At a recent All Hands Meeting, the team shared their experiences. The reflections and impact were nothing short of inspiring.
Here are a few team insights:
Steven Terry, Project Global Relationship Lead:
“I realized service does not have to be grandiose but can be a simple action.”
Coastal Beach Clean Up, Mexico
Stephenie Rockwell, Director of Culture and Client Experience:
“This experience showed me that volunteering doesn’t have to be time consuming or ongoing. Every small moment reconnects you back to your community-based values. It’s more of a win-win than I ever expected.”
Rimrock Police Department Search and Rescue
Charity Wilkins, Director of Shared Services:
“There is enough! We worked on bagging and boxing black beans and pinto beans into hundreds of 1-pound bags and seeing the massive quantities of food available to be shared sparked feelings of abundance. It reminded me of how much abundance this planet and all of us can experience.” Food Bank of the Rockies
Laurie Oswald, CEO:
“I was inspired by how much the team found joy in the experience and the perspective it provides about our world.”
Gulf Islands National Beach Clean Up
Katie Sanderson, Finance and Legal Lead:
“The impact that individuals can have in their communities when united for a common cause is boundless. Participating in this community service day initiative has reignited my passion for giving back, and I eagerly anticipate the next opportunity to serve!”
Food Bank of the Rockies
Sarah Furrier, Facilitator & Relationship Lead:
“Witnessing the determination of refugees to learn English amidst starting over in a new country has broadened my perspective and made me more aware of the challenges faced by marginalized communities. It has also deepened my gratitude for the general feeling of safety I have in my community.”
Teaching English to Refugees
Diane Holz, Accounting:
“I was amazed at the entrepreneurial spirit of the young people and how they faced their adversities and used them to create positive experiences. Their outlook on life was beyond their maturity.”
Boys and Girls Club Texas State Youth of the Year Program
Michelle Santaferraro, Facilitator: “What I walked away with from my trash pick-up is that this is now on my radar in my community. I would find myself putting stuff into my backpack or even getting out of my car when seeing trash I just could NOT look at any more and saying to myself – ‘I am taking responsibility.’ I just kept repeating it to myself. It made me own my actions and it reinforced their significance.”
Italian Hiking Trail Clean Up
While these are just a few of the projects completed by the team, the takeaways will have lasting impact. “Making a big difference doesn’t require an equally big-time commitment… Small contributions make a sizeable difference,” as Jennifer Wilmoth, Relationship Lead & Facilitator shared. Another InteraWorks team member shared, “it reminded me that we all have an innate desire to connect with others and help each other through their journey of life.”
For more information on InteraWorks contact:
Cathey Stamps, Marketing and Partner Lead
#####
About InteraWorks: InteraWorks is a global learning company on a mission to elevate the human experience at work. Specializing in professional development and performance enablement, we offer top-rated learning programs including Effective Edge, Best Year Yet, and the Essentials series. Our integrated learning framework and online tools generate immediate and sustainable breakthroughs in performance. Through decades of workingat all levels in enterprise companies across many industries, we’ve built a reputation for helping people and organizations harness their focus, mindset, talent and energy to produce results that matter most. www.interaworks.com