Supporting Local Charity Business photo created by jcomp - www.freepik.com
Many
of us as children recall the jingle bells of The Good Samaritan Society as we entered Sears or the Hudson’s Bay in the month of By Nichole Saskiw December. It became the sound of the season, and to this day, I find myself slipping a toonie in the clear plastic bubble as we pass them during the holidays.
In my youth, I dreamed of making a difference in the world. My first career came merely as a teen when I became a lifeguard. I quickly wanted to learn more in this industry, and found myself in the EMS field as an Emergency Medical Responder. After requiring life threatening kidney surgery at just 19, I was forced to change careers, as I could no longer lift a stretcher. This was a devastating 61
Supporting Local Charity
blow, as I felt I was making a huge difference in people’s lives. I decided to return to NAIT, and went in an opposite direction taking Business Administration – Management Studies. After graduation, I found a job in the clerical field with the Alberta Government where I spent 5 years climbing from administrative support to business manager. I became disenchanted, and hoped I might find more meaning if I worked in the private sector. I was wrong, and after almost 10 years I felt extremely lost, and not at all where I originally hoped to be after college graduation.
I desperately wanted to be a business owner. The idea literally fell into my lap after hosting a few mixers for my home-based business friends. These friends raved that I was an excellent organizer, and they wished there were more planners organizing markets and vendor events. I recall my f irst events began with just 12 vendors. I teamed up with another
