peopleCare Staff Go the Extra Mile to Give Back

peopleCare Communities’ second annual Walk to Wellness was a resounding success, with hundreds of staff, residents, families and partners going the extra mile for a great cause and a chance to engage in an organization-wide experience focused on wellness, physical activity and camaraderie.

The 16-day event included a walk for all staff along a virtual 428-km route from peopleCare Home to Home, with each milestone revealing fun facts about our locations.

Using an online app gave peopleCare employees across the organization an interactive way to connect with one another, tally and share their kilometers, stay on track with their personal goals, and cheer on fellow team members.

“This was my first Walk to Wellness and it really motivated me to get out and get active,” said Cathy Donahue, Executive Director of peopleCare Hilltop Manor. “It was also great to celebrate my team members achievements and post about my own journey in the app!”

During the event, all peopleCare Homes also hosted a wide variety of lighthearted and entertaining fundraising events enjoyed by their teams, residents and families. Along with outdoor physical activities such as hiking, biking and neighbourhood walks, our fun-loving creative teams hosted BBQ’s, bake sales, 50/50 draws, apple pie and chocolate sales, even partnering with Family Councils Ontario on a raffle.

“Such a fun way to engage with one another,” said Jeff Willson, Executive Director of Delhi Long-Term Care. “It was wonderful to create connections on a more personal level with my team members and my colleagues across peopleCare.”

“This years Walk to Wellness was super fun with all the engaging fundraising events we had in our Home and throughout the organization,” adds Emma Schmolling, Nursing Staffing Manager at peopleCare AR Goudie. “It was harder to connect with my teammates during COVID, so it was wonderful to get together again for all the fun activities.”

The hugely popular Walk to Wellness was launched in 2021 after an Employee Wellness Survey told us that staff wanted to focus more on wellbeing, reduce stress, and connect with coworkers, family, and friends. It has since evolved into a signature event of peopleCare’s annual Beyond Ourselves fundraising campaign in support of MEDA, an NGO that helps women and youth entrepreneurs in developing countries to build better lives for themselves and their families.

For the second year, peopleCare is matching dollars for kilometers walked, up to $10,000 for 2022. Combined with Home-level fundraising, this year’s Walk raised a total of nearly $14,000 for MEDA’s Nigeria WAY project.

As a family-owned and values-based organization, peopleCare is committed to giving back and having a positive social impact in our communities. Together with our residents, families and partners, our Homes will continue fundraising for the 2022 campaign until the end of this year. Learn more about how peopleCare goes Beyond Ourselves.

Inspired to support a great cause? Donate directly to MEDA.

See more of the fun:

• Visit peopleCare Communities on Facebook
• Meaford LTC and Meaford Knights Hockey Walk to our new Home opening 2022
• Watch AR Goudie leaders get pie in the face